The Consumed Republic: Face of (Old) Glory

This ceramic mask-like sculpture puts the ancient Hindu mythological story of Kirtimukha in a modern social and global context. The story as paraphrased by Joseph Campbell goes as such: There came before the all-powerful Shiva an audacious demon who had just overthrown the ruling gods of the world and now came to confront the highest of all with a non-negotiable demand, namely, that the god should hand over his goddess to the demon. Well, what Shiva did in reply was simply to open that mystic third eye in the middle of his forehead, and puff! a lightning bolt hit the earth, and there was suddenly a second demon, even larger than the first. He was a great lean thing with a lion-like head, and his nature was sheer hunger. He had been brought into being to eat up the first, and was clearly fit to do so. The first thought: "So what do I do now?" and with a very fortunate decision threw himself upon Shiva's mercy. Now it is a well-known theological rule that when you throw yourself on a god's mercy the god cannot refuse to protect you; and so Shiva had now to guard and protect the first demon from the second. Which left the second, however, without meat to quell his hunger and in anguish he asked Shiva, "Whom, then, do I eat?" to which the god replied, "Well, let's see: why not eat yourself?" And with that, no sooner said than begun, commencing with his feet, teeth chopping away, that grim phenomenon came right on up the line, through his own belly, on up through his chest and neck, until all that remained was a face above the top jaw. And the god, thereupon, was enchanted, for here at last was a perfect image of the monstrous thing that is life, which lives on itself. And to that sun-like mask, which was now all that was left of that lion-like vision of hunger, Shiva said, exulting, "I shall call you Face of Glory, 'Kirtimukha', and you shall shine above the doors to all my temples. No one who refuses to honor and worship you will come ever to knowledge of me, for it is in recognizing these same failings, desires and weaknesses in yourself that you must be humbled." 

The Kirtimukha legend may be as timeless and powerful a warning now as when written hundreds of years ago for both individuals and societies. The terrifying face symbolically warns against a thoughtless appetite for wealth, power, and glory as well as greed, pursuit of possessions, pleasures, and over-consumption. This “Face of (Old) Glory” reminds that selfish and self-destructive behavior shall not continue without the dire and ultimate result of hurting ourselves and destroying others.