Mary Anna Pomonis

My new work is inspired by Enheduanna the first documented writer. Enheduanna was a priestess of Inanna, goddess of the evening and morning star. Inanna is the goddess daughter of the moon god, in ancient Sumeria, in the area of modern day Iraq. The idea that the first poet in any language was a woman is shocking, only because it is a silent first. Our culture acknowledges the first of everything but when the primary source is female we collectively forget. 

In this new body of work I am creating paintings and performances to a self-produced audio reading of, "Lady of the Largest Heart" by Enheduanna translated by Betty De Shong Meador. The poem is epic and its verse form is designed to ritualistically tell the story of Inanna. The poem is gender fluid the writer changing personal pronouns at will. The audio is really important to my process. I read the poem and then play back the reading as an audio loop, painting primarily blindfolded. Shutting my eyes allows me to make work unedited and to make work in a hypnotic stream. 

My proposal is a performance at Louvre of the poem and an accompanying gestural movement piece. I have included a visual rendering as well as an audio recording of myself reciting a portion of Enheduanna's, "Lady of the Largest Heart".

Mary Anna Pomonis is a Los Angeles based artist. Pomonis has shown at galleries and institutions across the United States. She is currently in the group show "Rosette" opening at Charlie James Gallery January 9, 2016.

www.maryannapomonis.com

More information about "Rosette" is available at www.cjamesgallery.com