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frameacloud2009-05-14, from the Herald Weekend Post, a South African newspaper est. 1846:
An artist, Guy Thesen, is having an exhibition in the Knysna Fine Art Gallery this May, called Considering Therianthropes. His original sculptures and paintings are inspired by the therianthropes (meaning “human-animals”) in ancient cave paintings made by the local San people.1 You can watch a video about Thesen’s exhibition, where he talks about the symbolic meanings of his own therianthropic art, as well as that of the San.2 (Video makes sound, but is otherwise “safe for work.”) He gives a fascinating lecture about how the therianthropes in rock art are thought to be based on the sensations that people have while they’re in trance, which are interpreted in art as physical transformations. You can read more about the inspiring cave paintings in the book Capturing the Spoor: An Exploration of Southern African Rock Art, by Eastwood & Eastwood.3 Some of the phenomena of the trance described sound similar to those in metaphysical traditions in other parts of the world.
- O. Scribner
