a bearserker girl mural.

During a recent trip in Willcox, AZ, I ran across this awesome bearserker girl mural:

Adorning the southwest exterior wall of Bear's Vintage Thrift, my Heathen Worldview suddenly did a double take. There's a narrative in this art, a semi-sad introspection. Perhaps it's berserker-like battle-lusty Hervör Angantyrsdottir at the moment she decides to relinquish the formidable but cursed sword Tyrfing, stop raiding, and settle down to a more traditional life at her foster-father Jarl Bjartmar's hall. One might imagine this face of resignation at such a point of change in her life, the trade of her being done with risk & adventure for more secure domesticity & differing rewards of marriage. While there's no mention of her wearing a bearskin in The Saga of Hervör and Heidrek (though her birthfather was a berserker, so maybe passed on?), the mural could be allegorical of her ferocity cowling or even emanating from her person.

On the commercial surface this work is just a namesake callback to the owner of the store, Bear Carman, and a great piece of advertising. Yet what the viewer brings to art is how a piece reads and engages, and if we have Heathen Worldview, then suddenly Midgard and its art becomes all the richer for us, and this is what NorsePlay gives to you.

[Go see her for yourself at 32.25402892349161, -109.83124071799966.]

#    #    #

Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.