This weeks concept challenge at Artorder has to do with the Mayan god of storms, Hurakan.
I've been reading the Popol Vuh and there is very little in the way of physical description of this god, other than him having " one-leg", and/or a "serpents leg".
The name and imagery that stuck with me the most was that of Hurakan as an aspect of " Heart of Sky", the creator god, and that this being was floating over a primordial sea with no shore. This was before the creation of men of any kind so I thought it was important to avoid human-like characteristics and go for something primitive and strange.
This "god" has a lighter than air bladder than allows it to float in the thick wet atmosphere. It's flesh is blood red and it pulses as it bellows and sucks air to propel itself through the clouds. This would account for it's description as " Heart of Sky" as well as it's association with the wind.
It's tail is scaled and plumed and it also has green feathered gill-like structures. These would have been emulated by the Mayan priests wearing the green feathers of the Quetzal bird.
They also wore an ornament on the bridge of the nose similar to what's seen on Hurakan.
Lastly, Hurakan has long spines containing electrocytes that produce the lightning seen in storms.
Here it is...
Colour version to come soon...
