Louie Bretaña Philippines | New Zealand, b. 1967
Arao (Sun), 2022
Acrylic, glitter and glass crystals on repurposed hessian cloth
49 5/8 x 40 1/8 in
126 x 102 cm
126 x 102 cm
In the Philippine pantheon, the god of gods Bathala had two children, Arao the sun and Buan the moon. When Bathala wanted to hand overrule of the universe, Buan insisted...
In the Philippine pantheon, the god of gods Bathala had two children, Arao the sun and Buan the moon. When Bathala wanted to hand overrule of the universe, Buan insisted that she had as much right as her sibling. In the ensuing battle, Arao damaged one of Buan’s eyes. Out of remose and as an act of fairness, Arao decided to share the power and so he rules the daytime and his sister rules the night. He is a benevolent and wise god of war and brings blessings of wisdom, strategy, and success.
