Friday, December 30, 2016

NOT Virgin Mary, Holy Octomother of Cthulhu



She is known by many names around the internet - Virgin Mary Holy Octomother of Cthulhu, Octo-Mary full of grace, Tentacle Mary - patron saint of the Detroit Red Wings, Octopussy, Hail [Mother] Hydra, as well as numerous iterations.  But they are all WRONG!  It is the sad state of the internet generation that they would rather retweet than research.  Some idiot on tumblr posted it with a made up name and no link or mention of the artist, then it got reposted, then the same happened on 9gag, reddit, and twitter.

Know your tentacles!


She is Notre Dame du Poulpe - Our Lady of the Octopus.
Created by French artist Soasig Chamaillard

Here is a direct link to her page on the artist's website:  Our Lady of the Octopus

She has done a ton of variations with the Mary icon,
"I grew up in a Western Christian society.  My perspective on life has been a result of my environment and background.
The playful interaction of society's many icons, physical transformations, and the resulting improbably combinations, have culminated in my vision of a woman's role and place in our society.
This inner questioning of a woman's role has led me to use one of the most sacred icons in my work, namely, the Virgin Mary.
Initially, I began with damaged statues, either donated or discovered in garage sales, which I then restore and transform.
I surely do not mean to shock those who believe but rather to move those who see."