Tracing the Origins of Emma Kohlmann’s Arcane Figures
Emma Kohlmann’s recent work draws from Monica Sjöö’s feminist cosmology, reimagining ancient ideas of creation, time and the body through her own contemporary lens.
Kohlmann first encountered Monica Sjöö on Tumblr, where Sjöö’s surreal watercolors of priestesses and writings on the divine feminine were popular.
Sjöö’s 1971 book The Great Cosmic Mother argued for Indo-European societies’ devotion to fertility goddesses and the possibility of convergent pre-capitalist matriarchy.
By exploring Sjöö’s ideas, Kohlmann reinterprets ancient concepts in a modern context.
Author summary: Exploring Emma Kohlmann's work inspired by Monica Sjöö.