The Deity

The Deity is a therianthropic figure – part human, part animal – referencing ancient deities and mythology, while calling into question the figure’s origin and purpose in today’s context. Therianthropy, a common part of humans’ belief systems throughout history, is the mythological belief that humans could metamorphose into animals or shape shift. It refers specifically to a human figure with an animal head commonly depicted in ancient Egyptian gods such as Anubis or Sobek. By creating a generic theriocephallic figure in contemporary culture HDL are recalling past belief systems, bringing attention the shifting perspectives in culture that occur throughout history. 

A shift in perspective is what supported deindustrialization or a shift from family farms to larger corporations – a tie that was interesting to the artists in this, their second 53 North contribution. The postindustrial/post-farm condition in both Detroit, home of the artists, and Port Austin has sometimes allowed nature to take back its space. In both this work and their 2013 Art in the Public Realm: Rural Addition the artists are considering the rate that the earth’s assets are being consumed, the threat of climate change, and the need for a massive shift in societal thinking. The Diety figure becomes on icon for these issues, referencing past civilizations that no longer exists.

Hygienic Dress League (HDL) is an American corporation registered in 2007 by husband-and-wife visual artists Steve and Dorota Coy. HDL uses its status of the corporation as an art medium, serving as a platform for critiquing contradictions in contemporary society through symbolism and public interventions, ranging from fleeting projections, guerrilla marketing, video holograms, and installation art. HDL’s public interventions have appeared internationally in cities including Berlin, Germany; Montreal, Canada; Madrid, Spain; and Vannes, France, and in the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo in Bogota, Colombia.

This installation is on private property. Please stay away from, and off of, the structures. Property owners are not responsible for personal injury.