"A Shrine for the Sixth Extinction"

 

“By burning through coal and oil deposits, humans are putting carbon back into the air that has been sequestered for tens—in most cases hundreds—of millions of years. In the process, we are running geologic history not only in reverse but at warp speed.”  Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

In 2000 I participated in a Samhain "Litany for the Lost".  5 people, standing in a circle, recited names of extinct and vanishing Species.  It was important that we remember the names of some of our  fellow Beings that were lost to the future in ever increasing numbers.  I have thought about that for years, and received a grant from the Puffin Foundation  for which I am very grateful,  to create a  "Shrine for the Lost:  The Sixth Extinction".  

“Homo sapiens might not only be the agent of the sixth extinction, but also             risks being one of its victims.” Richard Leakey 

We are not the only life forms striving to evolve on our beautiful Planet Earth, and as species are lost, the Balance of ecosystems breaks down, like a tapestry unravelling.  It is the greatest of human arrogance to think that humanity is not a part of that tapestry, and that our lives do not also unravel with it.  

My Dia de los Muertos "Shrine for the Lost":  the Sixth Extinction   consists of 4 wall hung panels, exhibited with a book, a candle, and a short video.  Each panel has 2 vertical lists with interspersed visuals and is 7 feet long.  I wanted to grasp the magnitude of our loss by actually seeing these long lists......which I could have made much longer. 

The Installation includes my accompanying book A Shrine for the Lost:  The Sixth Extinction and a video  "Litany for the Lost", which artist Kathy Keler  collaborated with me on.  I am very pleased that this Project is completed, and it is my hope that it will serve to educate - and to remember - the profound tragedy of our continuing loss.

https://youtu.be/5GE5kxwhxFw

 

I have made application to create the Shrine at the 2023 Parliament of World Religions, and hope this exhibit will have a chance to travel in the future.  Below are details from the  Panels.  It's my hope as well that I can show it in collaboration with those who can talk about what we can do individually to help to slow this loss of habitat and environmental degredation - such as learning to compost, to eat less meat, and to use clean energy.

Lauren Raine MFA

November 2022

And the List continues................

 

"PERSEPHONE'S FEAST DAY" - A Samhain Poem

 

Persephone's Feast Day

 

When all the names are gone

fallen like fraying leaves

before the coming of frost;

when there is nothing left

for memory to feed upon

November incubates

an unborn rhythm,

a silent heartbeat.

 

Perhaps all the wastes

of love and time

ferment their healing,

underground, here

in these Nigrado depths,

becoming at last Albedo,

the medicine.

 

But today, there is no valor

in this rooting among decomposing fragments

of so many lives.

 

I offer now bread, red fruit, red wine to life.

To the voiceless, the lost, hungry, and fallen,

to every transparent lover wandering

these grey Bardos in their solitude.

 

Come to the table all.

Here is a rich conversation

harvested from the last living garden

a dappled pear, an apple, a pomegranate.

a butterfly in its chrysalis, winged, moist,

 

the slow rebirth of color

deep in the depths of this dream.

 

The great Wheel will turn again.

The wheat has new life in it yet.

The blessing will still be given.

 

"Horse Latitudes": A Poem for Belated Blessings

 

 

BE in me as the eternal moods

of the bleak wind, and not

As transient things are—gaiety of flowers.

Have me in the strong loneliness

of sunless cliffs

And of gray waters.

Let the gods speak softly of us

In days hereafter,

the shadowy flowers of Orcus

Remember thee.

 

Ezra Pound 

HORSE LATITUDES

 

If only, when harbored among debris,

among littered confusion

we throw angry words like stones

at each other, 

or walk away,  the last

snapshot for memory 

a defiant, sullen back

or a careless kiss dockside,

hurried and heedless: 

if only, if only

at such partings,

we could know them

for what they are: 

Goodbyes that last a lifetime. 

 

I would have asked you

to set me adrift with  nameless love. 

To fill my yellow sails

with your blessing

as I blow mine into yours.

 

(2009)

"VERITY" - New Mosaic Sculpture

"We seem to be having a crisis of honor............Lying and deceit dominate public politics and public life, business, academics, and even the arts.  As a result our children have virtually no valid role models on which to model their own sense of honor."

         Carolyn Myss, Why People Don't Heal And How They Can (1997)

Recently I made a mask for Verity (Veritas) the Roman Goddess of Truth.  I also began a sculpture, which I finally finished.  In my recent Post about the Mask of Verity, I described a few things about the mythology, and why I seem to be compelled to pursue this imagery. 

 https://threadsofspiderwoman.blogspot.com/2022/09/verity-roman-goddess-of-truth.html

 

Jean Houston on Evolution in a Catastrophic Time

"What do you want on your gravestone?" "I lived long enough to be of use!"  

 https://youtu.be/W9V8N2T3Tsc

Portfolio: "A Work in Progress" .... a Presentation at 2022 Pagan Studies Conference

I was embarroused to see that I never shared on this Blog the Presentation I was honored to give at the Conference on Current Pagan Studies ** (via Zoom) in January of this year.  Their Theme for 2022 was "Pagans and Creativity" so I offered a presentation on my own 50 years of being an artist, with (obviously visible) Pagan roots and Pagan iconography even in the very beginning.  It seems Gaia and Myth and the Goddess have been with me almost as soon as I could pick up a crayon, and it't been so ever since.  

https://www.slideshare.net/laurenraine/lauren-raine-portfolio-a-work-in-progress

Lauren raine portfolio a work in progress from Lauren Raine

** There will be another Conference this year January 14- 15, 2023

For information on the upcoming Conference:  https://www.paganconference.com/

"A Shrine for the Lost": The Sixth Extinction

In 2000 I participated in a "Litany for the Lost".  5 people, standing in a circle, recited names of extinct and vanishing Species; the names of our fellow Beings on this inter-dependent, inter-woven planet.  I have thought about that for years, and just received a grant from the Puffin Foundation this past month, for which I am very grateful,  to create a "Shrine for the Lost".  We are not the only life forms striving to evolve on our beautiful Planet Earth, and as species are lost, the Balance of ecosystems breaks down, like a tapestry unravelling.  It is the greatest of arrogance to think that humanity is not a part of that tapestry, and that our lives unravel with it.  

My Dia de los Muertos "Shrine for the Lost":  the Sixth Extinction   will consist of 4 panels, each panel 16 inches by 72 inches (6 feet), hung on the wall.  Each panel will have 7 pages like the one above, with Lists of the Lost, and interspersed visuals.  The pages will run together vertically, kind of like the sample to the right, only the panel will be 6 feet long.  I want people to grasp the magnitude of the loss with these long lists.

In addition, the Shrine will have an Audio Component, a recording of a "Litany for the Lost":  5 voices calling the Names of Extinct or Vanishing Species (probably with some kind of musical backdrop as well).  My colleague Kathy Keller will collaborate on this with me.

And the Shrine will include my new book A Shrine for the Lost:  The Sixth Extinction.  

I cannot share here images of the finished Shrine, because it will not be installed until November 1st for the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos).   But I am pleased to share a bit of the Work in Progress, and as soon as the Shrine can be made active, I will be sure to share that as well.  

I have made application to create the Shrine at the 2023 Parliament of World Religions as well...........here's hoping.

It is my hope and offer to all those who may be interested that this exhibit, when finished, travel as a means of educating others about the magnitude of our loss.  The List........

And the List continues................

* A film produced with Leonardo De Caprio well worth seeing:  

  https://youtu.be/D9xFFyUOpXo