Bonnie O’Halloran

For this project, I focused on Sun Deities. I like the idea that modern technology, like solar panels, allows us to harness the power that people in the past worshipped Gods for wielding. I studied many Deities from different cultures, and used them as a base to create my own modern-day Sun God.

‘Ray’ is my interpretation of how values around the sun and light have changed over centuries. She represents replacing fossil fuels with clean energy, and the scrapping of old ways for new ideas. She is the God of the sun, sustainable energy, hope and rebellion. I chose an art nouveau-inspired approach, with stained glass elements to mimic a church window. The blue areas will be cut and replaced with a mimic stained glass that light can shine through.

I created a small legend around Ray in order to help me conceptualise her properly, and add to the meaning of my piece, This story was inspired by the lack of peace in the legends of old Gods- All of them adored war, and brought more problems than solutions to the lives of humankind. I wanted Ray to be a God of the people, and a symbol of brighter futures; a Ray of light to lead forward into a better, more sustainable world.