At nine or ten years old, my worldview was both simple and simmered in a rich broth of fantasy. If you read something in a schoolbook, it was a fact. Our history book told the fantastical story of how Fionn MacCumhail (Fee-un Mac-Ool) gained the ability to access the world’s wisdom and knowledge by accidentally tasting the flesh of the Salmon of Knowledge.
He grew up to become a legendary warrior, poet, and leader of heroes. Fionn also received the ability to have insight into the future, just by biting his thumb. Imagine a schoolbook as exciting as any comic!
New artwork: A Gift and a Curse
I drew on the myth of the Salmon of Knowledge and joined some dots with today’s world. Smartphones and the internet enable us to access a staggering volume of data: some of it toxic. There’s also unlimited potential to seek counsel. Here’s a little snippet – there’s a link to see the full artwork at the end of this post.
Who can handle the world’s wisdom and knowledge?
Imagine what that must feel like and while you’re at it, consider also having the gift of prophecy thrown in for good measure? Fionn’s gifts were advantageous and yet in later life, he was corrupted by power. When he couldn’t control the outcome of a marriage that he arranged, he demonstrated cruel and vengeful behaviours that isolated him.
The final artwork emerged from three months of work. It presents the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, our desire to see into the future as a constant, cyclical, dynamic struggle. If you’d like to explore the inspiration and meaning of some of the details in this artwork, then you can dive right in.