:: 2021 :: 18cm x 24cm :: Acrylics, Inks and Markers on Canvas ::
In 2012, I produced an artwork called Xochipilli, which eventually became quite a pivotal image in my ongoing explorative journey towards realising a deeper sense of the Queer within me. This image has continually stayed with me, and in spring 2021 I happened to be looking for a suitable image for a small music project - a sample library of a clay ocarina. I decided to look in my copy of the Codex Nuttall - a Pre-Columbian Mixtec codex showing many important indigenous Mexican scenes - and the first image of a flute player that my eyes fell upon showed a stunning coincidence: the name 'Five Flower' - Macuilxochitl in Nahutal - attached to the figure.
I knew from my studies back in 2012 that Macuilxochitl was Xochipilli's true name, his day sign, since Xochipilli 'Prince of Flowers' is really just a title. I was struck by this little resonant moment, and decided to create an artwork of this incidental figure in the codex. Here, then we see Xochipilli as Macuilxochitl blowing a conch in his position as the Lord of Music and Dance.