Birds of Death

NFS

Gouache on illustration board 300x420mm

I gave this painting to singer Diamanda Galas when she came to New Zealand in 2005. Her work has a had a huge impact on me and I wanted to give her something that would show how she has inspired my own work. She is depicted at a harbinger of death surrounded by carrion birds at the bedside of those dying from AIDs. The band at the base depicts a goats skull because of her interest in satan as the saviour for those who are forsaken by god. And snakes intertwining around cross-sections of the HIV virus. I used the yellow and purple colours because they speak of death and sickness.

© Mary MacGregor-Reid