Textile installation and performances presented by Dreamsong
The Armory Off-Site at Bella Abzug Park
September 8,9, 2023
The Walker Art Center
August 5, 2023
Ettun’s multidisciplinary project is dedicated to the aerial spirit demon Lilit who originated from Sumerian, Akkadian, and Judaic mythology. In the 2nd to 7th centuries, artist-healers created spells, drawings, and talismanic objects to trap demons like Lilit, who was characterized as a dangerously sexual female entity, and appeared frequently on incantation bowls used in protective rituals. Enthralled by the images inscribed on these ancient objects, Ettun studied their vocabulary and developed her own language that revives the tradition through a contemporary feminist lens, subverting Lilit’s misogynistic archetype and revamping her image as an Empathic Demon.
The Wave Caves (2022–2023) create a safe haven for Lilit, who was banished for pursuing independence. This monumental work, constructed of painted, hand-dyed, and hand-stitched boat sails, references the medieval myth in which Lilit escapes to the Red Sea. Stitched elements depict demons alongside personal objects, including headscarves that belonged to the artist’s mother and grandmother, and a newborn hospital blanket.
In two performances, Tamar Ettun will conjure and inhabit the persona of Lilit. The primordial demon will share her origin story from a feminist perspective, invite the audience to participate in somatic movement exercises, connect with their bodies and befriend their inner demons. Watch the indoors performance at The Armory Show HERE.
Pictures by Charlie Rubin and Rebecca Heidelberg
