Regeneration

60x80 cm
Acrylic, polymer clay, gold leaf, canvas, author's technique, handmade
2023

The symbolism of fish has traditionally included many archetypes connected with various socio-cultural beliefs, territorial affiliations, and historical significance. But the most unifying fact is that the symbol of fish is closely associated with water — the primordial, original state of all existence. Water is also associated with the unconscious; hidden in its depths is knowledge that is difficult for humans to access, but accessible to fish.

In a number of mythological stories where a giant fish (or whale) swallows and then releases the hero, the fish serves as an equivalent of the underworld, the realm of the dead. These stories symbolize the process of initiation and rebirth after symbolic death. The symbolism of fish is closely tied to the element of water, its primal, untamed force, ancient beginnings, and the source of life.

Thus, the fish represents the understanding of essence, the ability to see things and facts without illusions, the source of life, the system of rebirth, the power of transformation, and the return to the original resource.