"Sakha Earth Spirit"

Yulia Pinkusevich

2020

Medium: Charcoal and Pastel on Paper

Dimensions: 73" x 37"

Price: Upon request

Description: After I became a mother, I learned that my maternal ancestors were indigenous Siberians who (likely) practiced forms of shamanism in the Sakha region of Russia. Siberia is one of the richest areas of biodiversity, known for its harsh climate and extreme landscapes. I spent my childhood summers in these environments with my grandparents - but because native Siberians were brought to the brink of extinction by Russian settlers in the nineteenth century, very little indigenous culture remained there by the time I was a child. When Stalin's regime then systematically purged shamanism (and all other religions) in the 1920s, a multigenerational amnesia around native heritage and sacred practices afflicted the region. For my family, this amnesia left only the remnants of what seemed like strange superstitions. Seeking to both reconnect with my lost heritage and contribute towards healing the planet, I began to learn about Earth Living Systems and Gaia Theory, scientific insights built upon indigenous cultural knowledge, the practice of bio regeneration, and sustainable land stewardship. The Sakha series meditates upon the ancient Siberian beliefs that all humans are embodied by three Spirits. The spirit of Earth, Spirit of the Mother and the Spirit of Air. This work is representing the Earth Spirit who enters a child upon birth.