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Located somewhere in the remote folds of the Himalaya Mountains is the legendary Himmapan Forest. In the gods own forest grows a magical tree which bears a unique fruit of mythical female beings, the Makareepon. Inspired by the image of a female fruit bearing tree the sculptors Elizabeth and Jorn created their interpretation of the Makareepon; four ladies relaxing and companionably conversing in the peaceful depths of a forest glade. The hand cuppable curves and shapes of the fruit should invite the viewer to pick up the sculptures and enjoy the tactile feel of the pieces as well as the beauty of the visual interconnected flow of the lines and forms of the sculpture.
Height:15cm
As with most ancient stories there are slightly different versions of the Pandora tale but the most salient facts that appealed to Elizabeth and Jorn are summed up in this following version. In Greek mythology Pandora (which means “all gifted”) was the first women on Earth. She was sent to earth, by the Greek chief god Zeus, with a box that she was instructed not to open. Eventually Pandora’s curiosity overcame her caution and she opened the box thus releasing all the negative, evil things of the world that had been sealed in the box. When Pandora realized what she had done she tried to slam the lid shut but everything had escaped only hope was left…… “Whatever evils are abroad hope never entirely leaves us and while we have that no amount of other ills can make us completely wretched.” Hope is often represented as a butterfly and in our sculpture inside the corner of the box that Pandora is holding is a simple stylized butterfly etched into the bottom of the box. Like a butterfly hope is a fragile, precious thing so we also like the fact that the words ‘hope left’ in the sculptures title have a double meaning, one positive and one negative, to remind us of the value of hope.
Height: 37cm
Icarus In Greek mythology Icarus exhilarated by the trill of flying did not heed his father’s warning and flew to close to the sun. His wax based wings began to melt and he plummeted into the sea. Inspired by the flame or lotus shaped Thai kranok motif Elizabeth and Jorn’s Icarus is a reminder of the beauty that can be found in the transitory nature of life and the need for a mindful use of the wonders of technologies.
Height: 100cm
Lakshmi Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and happiness, the consort of Vishnu. “She was born in the full flush of beauty adorned with a diadem when the gods churned the ocean of milk to obtain the beverage of immortality” The fantastical images conjured up by these colourful words inspired Elizabeth and Jorn to create their golden Lakshmi.
Height: 39cm
Gaia Gaia: Mother Earth protecting the tree to life. Elizabeth and Jorn like people to be drawn to reach out and touch their work : touch is one of the most intimate and universal senses we have so they portray Gaia or Mother Earth in rich curves to invite the viewer to caress her, to be connected and to feel connected to her and the momentous task she , and we all have to protect this miraculous planet we miraculously live on. Her generously rotund shape is also made to echo the shape of the planet and the spiraling stand represents the multilayered spinning universe in which we sail !
Height: 42cm
Mae Toranee Mae Toranee is the Thai Mother Earth and in Elizabeth and Jorn’s sculpture she is depicted wringing the water out of the hair to nurture the planet with one of life’s most precious commodities. In a popular Buddhist story Mae Toranee aided Buddha by washing away demons that were trying to tempt him while he was meditating and just before he reached enlightenment.
Height: 43cm
Gold Horse Throughout history horse and man have had an interlinked relationship in life and art. Elizabeth and Jorn had for some time been mentally working on a horse head sculpture, they wanted to be able to capture the sturdy, steadfastness and beautiful lines of the equine head but also to convey a primitiveness. On waking one morning folds in a curtain and shadows made by the low rising sun formed a shape that they knew was their horse sculpture. A quick sketch made of the folds and shadows became the basis of their Gold Horse.
Height : 52cm
Green Horse Throughout history horse and man have had an interlinked relationship in life and art. Elizabeth and Jorn had for some time been mentally working on a horse head sculpture, they wanted to be able to capture the sturdy, steadfastness and beautiful lines of the equine head but also to convey a primitiveness. On waking one morning folds in a curtain and shadows made by the low rising sun formed a shape that they knew was their horse sculpture. A quick sketch made of the folds and shadows became the basis of their Horse.
Height : 52cm
Now A being meditating. The river the impermanence, the continuous flow of life. The boat the fragile journey. The being mindful of the past and the future but living in the ungraspable reality, now. Height: 16cm
Bronze with
chestnut patina
Manohra Manohra in Thai mythology was the most beautiful of the Kinnarees, half-bird half-women beings that inhabit the mythical Himmapan forest.
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Venus Venus, the goddess of love. Joyously corpulent female figurines sometimes called Venus figures, that date back through history thousands of years, were the inspiration to the Irish/ Danish artists Elizabeth and Jorn for this generously curvaceous Venus Height: 60cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Rama Rama, the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and the hero of the classical tale the Ramayana. Height: 39cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Kinaree In Thai mythology Kinaree are beautiful half bird, half women beings that inhabit the mythical Himmapan forest. Height: 46cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Akbar Akbar the celebrated Mogul emperor wears the mask of time. Height: 36 cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Escape Escape: sleep, dreams, tranquility. Height: 10 cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
Apsara Apsaras, celestial maidens who danced sang and entertained the gods. Sensual and seductive Apsaras were an expression of idealized female beauty. Height: 40cm
Bronze with gold
leaf.
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All of Elizabeth and Jorn's sculptures are cast in bronze.
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