marlene mountain
exhibition statement
birdy the topless neolithic bird shevinity

I'm so taken with Neolithic art, the people and communities
as presented by Marija Gimbutas in
THE GODDESSES AND GODS OF OLD EUROPE (6500-3500 BCE),
THE LANGUAGE OF THE GODDESS,
THE CIVILIZATION OF THE GODDESS,
that I want to share it in any way I can.
Through Gimbutas' work as a FEMALE archeologist
('marija finally an archeologist i can love')
and through her incredible FEMALE mind, eyes and heart
we have a real view of our past, of our ancestors
and their deep respect for the female and their identification
not merely with but as nature,
which indeed is expressed through complex symbols of females
and animals.

I began by copying pages from her recent book to introduce
some of the wonderfully creative, sophisticated and joyful ideas
prevalent all over Old Europe (MG's naming), painting and writing on them.
I had a reality check when I realized I was remarking and marking over
such an author's words and layout.
Somewhat intimidated I called Dr. Gimbutas in California
for permission and an explanation of what I was doing.
In halting sentences I said I was calling The Bird Goddess,
er ah 'birdy . . . the' . . . er ah 'topless . . . neolithic bird . . . shevinity.'
She, it turns out, is as generous as that wonderful and loving
Goddess/shevinity with a female face and a bird's beak,
usually a long neck, wings and/or bird's feet, and, yes, female breasts.
My image here of birdy is posed, as body builders do to show off
their muscles. Other images of birdy
in her many forms as well as other aspects
of the Neolithic--from Gimbutas' books--are simply incredible.
As the copying/painting/writing continued I decided to join birdy
on a tour of our non-warring, artistic, intelligent 'matristic' past
and through the patriarchal take-over which swept into Old Europe;
men--Kurgans--on horseback with weapons and a male sky god.
What followed, unfortunately, is history.
Birdy's tour, however, includes not only a truer vision through
'magical breasts'
of our past but perhaps of our present/future.
Let's have a celebration of matristic art and life,
and a wake for that old fogy, mr. patriarchy.
Perhaps you too will fall
'madly in love with the 'magical breasts' of bird shevinity.'
Come to Hard To Find in Valle Crucis NC on September 11,
around 8 pm and let's talk about
'birdy and marija the two most important beings in the universe.'
Also on view are paintings from the mid-to-late 60s
when I was in a red and green, window-inspired, abstract, minimal,
geometrical, er ah, non-birdy phase.
If you want something, please BYO, and in respect for the Hayes family,
smoking only in certain areas, no pets and
pick up after yourself--birdy is non-violent
but she has a 'wicked' chirp.
Call for directions. 'birdy the topless neolithic bird shevinity' and I hope
to see you Saturday night, marlene mountain.

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