Valkyrie Phantom or Optical Illusion of Face or Battlefield Vision
Valkyries are womanlike spirits of the god Odin bearing dead heroes to Valhalla. Are they angels? Technically, yes they are. The contemporary images of the Valkyries (choosers of the fallen) depict them as elegant, sex-appealing and honorable maidens. This type of portrayal highly exaggerates and distorts their pleasant, fashionable and seductive qualities and it is omitting their true sinister nature. Perhaps this inclination comes from the late Northern folklore, which emphases on their love affairs with ordinary men and their help to bring Odin’s favorite heroes to Havens, where they will fight on his side.
For that exact reason I am trying to give Valkyrie her original ominous and dark personality. She was the one who was making a final choice to combating soldiers - to live or to die. In a way, she could be called a Lady Bad Luck of a battlefield. However, Valkyrie’s main purpose is not without debatable duality. For one, death is an agonizing tragedy, for other, death is a blessing, liberation from pain and a shortcut to ever dreamed Valhalla. She is an angel of mercy and an angel of death at the same time. Imagine a mortally wounded soldier on a battleground. His head is delusional, his thoughts are scattered, his vision blurred. Indistinct and unfocused phantom, that is the way Valkyrie could appear in front of him. Is it an optical illusion of beautiful merciful woman or a dreadful alien? The answer depends on you only, the way you see your last minutes and what you expect afterwards your demise.
According to Norse mythology the Valkyries were not allowed to be seen by humans. That is why the portrait appearance on the picture is rasterized by spherical optical illusion. This visual effect gives the image an additional illusory flavor and expansion motion. Her appearance is a fantasy and a possible reality at once. Some of Valkyries were allowed to become swans. That is how they could mingle with humans. But if they were seen by the humans, not in their swan form, they would forever turn mortal and could never go back to Valhalla. Valkyries are very similar to those that escort the dead to Hades or other forms of afterlife in various mythologies throughout human history, particularly in Greek legends. It is interesting to note that common themes and figures occur throughout human history and across various cultures and societies.
Title Rus: Призрак Валькирии или оптическая иллюзия лица на поле боя
Software used: 3ds Max®, Adobe Photoshop®, Adobe Illustrator®, Photo Stock
George Grie, January 2019
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Valkyrie Phantom or Optical Illusion of Face or Battlefield Vision