Balor Must Die
The Fomorians were early inhabitants of Ireland. They were said to be sea gods of monstrous misshapen form. They were described as having one hand, foot, or eye. Balor was their King. He had one terrible eye that killed anyone he looked at. He was killed in battle by his grandson Lugh. Lugh, a god of light of the Tuatha De Danann snuck up on Balor when the giant was tired from battle. Lugh knocked his eye into his head with a stone from a magic sling thus Balor suffering the fate of his own eye. The Tuatha defeated the Fomorians and came to power. The Tuatha De Danann would ultimately bedriven underground becoming the fairies of Irish lore.
This Piece, Balor Must Die, is constructed from apiece of driftwood that I found in Northeast, MD. The driftwood still has a stone imbedded in it as when I found it. I bleached then shaped and trimmed the piece of wood so that it more closely resembled a misshapen hand. It is mounted on a hazel stick on a piece of cedar board. I burned “Lugh” and “Balor” on the board as well as depictions of the sun rising over an eye and sea creature appendage. The tale of Lugh over Balor represents the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. This piece was constructed to represent that as well.
