Harappan Mother Goddess

The current exhibition at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts is In the Still Epiphany curated by artist Gedi Sibony. He selected numerous artworks from the collection of Joesph and Emily Pulitzer and designed their layout and cases in the galleries. His arrangement of these paintings, sculptures, and artifacts relates a story about a moment of clarity in a young woman's life. It's a very intriguing exhibition, and if you can visit please do.

Because the epiphany is that of a young woman, much of the art emits femininity, domesticity, and beauty. From Picasso's Woman in the Red Hat to Matisse's The Conservatory to a cleverly designed case of vessels and objects that exudes the Virgin Mary, women are the center of attention and absolutely everywhere. As they should be. But no object strikes me as so ultimately feminine as the terracotta Harappan Mother Goddess figurine. Seeing that she is a goddess that might be a bit unfair to all the other mortal women in the show. Nonetheless, she is my favorite so far.

The goddess figurine comes from the Indus Valley in Pakistan and dates to approximately 3000 BC. The exhibition photos are not available online yet, but you can see some similar terracotta figures here. It is believed, due to the emphasis of the female form, that these are fertility figures. The Pulitzer's little goddess has a bust that would make Pam Anderson jealous and she grasps her left breast with her left hand. On display she hangs out with an African humanoid fetish that foils the feminine and busty goddess with its stocky and ambiguous shape.

I think what I like the most about this object is her timelessness and staying power. As small as she is, which is about four inches tall, she stands out as powerful. It's a uniquely feminine strength that reigned for centuries before the uprising of the patriarchal pantheon, that makes a woman feel empowered rather than objectified by her own chest and bum. I love the idea of curvaceousness as something to be worshiped, as it represents a uniquely female capability, which is of course the ability to bring forth human life.

At the moment I have found the Harappan goddess the most intriguing, but the show has only been open for nine days. After some more exploring and contemplation I will surely find more to blog about since the range of the Pulitzer's collection is amazingly diverse.