Serigraph, Edition of 50

2018

Unframed

(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)

David Neel’s Box of Daylight uses the modern printmaking technique of serigraphy to create a deeply symbolic rendition of Raven bringing light to the world. In this classic tale, Raven resolved to steal the Sun from an old man who had been keeping it all to himself in an old cedar box. To do so, Raven transformed himself into cedar sprig, and fell into the water of the old man’s daughter. Shortly after drinking this water, the daughter gave birth to a baby boy, who the old man spoiled greatly. Eventually, this little boy convinced his grandfather to let him play with the old cedar box, which he took outside with him. The boy immediately transformed back into the Raven and stole the box away. However, as he was flying, a strong gust of wind blew the cedar box from his mouth, releasing the Sun into the sky. Here the Sun stayed, lighting the earth from that day on.

In this piece, David strives to capture the deeper nature of this ancient tale. As such, Box of Daylight depicts Raven releasing not the Sun, but the Seed of Life, from Sacred Geometry. David’s use of the Seed of Life, which has a profound spiritual significance, highlights the true meaning of the legend. The story of the Raven bringing light to the world, at its most fundamental level, is a metaphor for the creation of the universe. Thus, Box of Light, encoded with this age-old knowledge, offers a glimpse into an ancient world.

“There is a wealth of information in traditional Indigenous tales, which are part of a long-standing oral tradition… While the delivery of the age-old stories may change, the essence of the tradition remains the same.”      ~David Neel