Project ‘Amulet’
Artist and designer Carina Wagenaar attained her degree at the Department of of Art & History of the University of Amsterdam. After working for fashion brands Oilily and Bad Boys, she decided to choose her own artistic path in combining art, fashion and design. Inspired by jewellery medallions, lace and cameos she creates unique wall objects with contemporary translations of various classic themes.
In Dubai, her project ‘Amulet’ will be presented for the first time. These large medallions are inspired by ancient Egyptian culture. The ancient Egyptians believed amulets could ward off evil and attract good luck. They were incorporated in jewelry, used in rituals, sewn onto clothing, or placed between the bandages of a mummy – both the living and the dead made use of them as a protective item. Gold was a divine metal and therefore had the power of divine life: immortality. Carina used gold-plated modern materials to create new amulets.
XXL Amulet Medallion ‘Osiris’: The structure of your being is held together by the spine; your foundation and core values rely on it. The Egyptian god Osiris, symbol of the spine, represents structure, stability and sustainability in life. The three keys represent the access to positive thinking and positive acting, resulting in positive feeling. The multitude of shining stars articulate the sparkles of life and help bridge the gap between the earthly and the heavenly.
XXL Amulet Medallion ‘Scarab’: The scarab, god of the rising sun, is a beloved symbol of rebirth, immortality, potency, reproduction and wisdom. This amulet and lucky charm has two halves, which represent our thinking (left hemisphere) and our feeling (right hemisphere). By developing both halves equally, we learn to act well balanced and live with strength.
XL Amulet Medallion ‘Horus’: The falcon Horus is the ancient god of the sky and guards the earth and nature. The lotus flower reflects earth’s eternal renewal of life, which brings new opportunities and new beginnings. Nature also has an important nourishing task, represented by the four feeding bottles, one for each season. In the modern era of environmental threats, we can still learn from Horus to better cherish nature upon which our existence depends.