This series by Mikael Owunna began with an exploration of Indigenous African knowledge systems, and he set out to create a visual style that would uniquely capture their cosmic grandeur, dense symbolism, and presentation of Blackness as the divine, cosmic source from which everything emerges.
For this work, Owunna leveraged his training as an engineer to build a camera flash that only transmits ultraviolet light, hand painted the bodies of nude Black models with fluorescent paints that only glow under ultraviolet light, and photographed them in total darkness. For the fraction of a second that the shutter snapped, a transfiguration happened: these bodies were illuminated as the starry universe itself, and scenes inspired by the archive of African diasporic myth sprang to life.
.: Material: 270gsm paper
.: Envelopes included
.: 4.25" x 5.5'' (10.8 x 13.9 cm)
.: Sustainable paper from FSC® and SFI® certified facilities
Anagonno Alagala (anagonno of the Sky)
The Anagonno Alagala is the final transformation of the human body that takes place after death in Dogon cosmology. When a person dies, complex funerary rites are held to regroup the deceased’s spiritual forces. After the deceased has completed their final responsibilities on Earth, they transform into Anagonno Alagala, “anagonno of the sky,” where their role is to assist and direct the living from that point onward.
Mgbakwocha (Grand Lady of the Mysteries)
At the beginning of the universe, all was one in the blackness of space. Eke-Nnechukwu, the feminine polarity of the Igbo Primordial Androgynous Deity, manifests Herself as Mgbakwocha. She is the Grand Lady of the Mysteries of creation, which She holds in the blackness of Her Divine Mystic Eye. She is associated with the planet Venus and is the birth source of life, which emerges from the blackness of Her womb.
Chukwu’s Grief
Following the shattering of the primordial world in the Igbo Odachi Nne Ebere mythical account, the Igbo high god, Chukwu, finds the martyred body of His feminine double, Eke-Nnechukwu and brings Her back to life with His tears. Even after Eke-Nnechukwu rises from the dead, however, Chukwu never fully recovers from the traumatic shock of this event. Disenchanted and sensing the inevitable spiritual shortcomings from this new existential state of the universe, Chukwu retreats into His solitary chamber known as Ozi Obi and irrevocably locks its door of mercy (Uzo Ogo) behind Him.
Alawuala (The Land Which Is The Ultimate Earth)
Alawuala is the Earth Goddess in Igbo cosmology, and her name translates literally as “the land which is the ultimate earth.” Birthing humanity and life from Her primal womb, She incarnates the spiritual principles of the primordial Igbo High God, Chukwu’s feminine double, Eke-Nnechukwu. With Her connection to the primordial feminine, Alawuala prescribes the universal laws of existence which transcend all life, Nso Ala (Laws of the Earth Goddess), and transmits them to humanity in the blackness of Her womb. Her layered waist beads speak to Her fecundity and control of fertility in all dimensions of life. Her sinuous pose prefigures her zoomorphic terrestrial form as Eke-Nwe-Ohia, the sacred Igbo python.
Komosu (Body of the Goddess)
Following the shattering of the primordial world in the Igbo Odachi Nne Ebere mythical account, the Igbo high god, Chukwu, finds the martyred body of His feminine double, Eke-Nnechukwu and brings Her back to life with His tears. As Eke-Nnechukwu rises from the dead, the cosmos and physical universe are born on Her body as She assumes the form of Komosu. Revived, Komosu takes up residence in Her own cosmic house known as Mkpuke, where She balances the entirety of the physical universe on Her body, Her name being a derivative of Koro-ma-ya-su, Komo-osu/Aru Uso/Ana Uso (body of the goddess).
Amma Creates the World, Molding the Po
According to the Igbo wisdom tradition, our Chi (or Highest Self) resides in the Primordial Androgynous Blackness of Be Chukwu, the Divine Realm of the Creator. Dreaming in perfect harmony with the Creator, our Chi's "super-deep-sleep" gives rise to temporal experience as we know it. Our lives are these dreams, and when we die, our Chi awakes again in Be Chukwu.
Amma Emerges From Their Womb
In Dogon myth, the universe emerges when Amma, the creator god, opens Their eyes. This act breaks the egg containing Amma’s womb, and in a spectacular moment of vibratory action, Amma emerges from Themself into utter blackness.
Chukwu’s Dance (Entering His Chamber)
At the beginning of time, Chukwu, the masculine polarity of the Igbo Primordial Androgynous Deity, suavely dances His way in and out of a secret pillared chamber, entering with His back and coming out with His back turned to all and sundry. Chukwu’s dancing in and out of the chamber piques the curiosity of His feminine counterpart Eke-Nnechukwu, which sets off a chain of irrevocable circumstances that lead to our current world and condition.
Be Chukwu (Divine Realm of the Creator)
According to the Igbo wisdom tradition, our Chi (or Highest Self) resides in the Primordial Androgynous Blackness of Be Chukwu, the Divine Realm of the Creator. Dreaming in perfect harmony with the Creator, our Chi's "super-deep-sleep" gives rise to temporal experience as we know it. Our lives are these dreams, and when we die, our Chi awakes again in Be Chukwu.
The Vision of Innekouzou
Innekouzou Dolo was a celebrated West African Dogon diviner and Ammayana, “priestess of Amma.” Closing her eyes, she was adept at fusing the blackness of her inner imaginal worlds with the external blackness of outer space, making detailed observations of the Sirius constellation.
