Myth 2.0: Zodion
A constellation of animal imagery from an alternate future. Not your grandmother’s zodiac.
Zodion
Because I’m about to spend 200-300 words gushing over this project, I’ve got to get this out of my system: “Zodion” is just a bit snickerable, so far as names go. It puts me in mind of a prescription painkiller. There, I’ve said it, I can move on now.
When she’s not creating names for Big Pharmaco, artist Tori Meader illustrates the stars.
Or at least, the zodiac. Possibly zodiacs.
Meader’s project, recently launched as a two-week blitz campaign on Indiegogo, is a richly-colored fantastic/futuristic vision of the zodiac’s sparkling cast of characters. It’s remarkably fur-friendly, or at least animal-lover friendly. In addition to reimagining the twelve starsigns as technobionic mixtures of organic and electronic (and electroluminescent) elements, crafting personalities for them, and illustrating them in amazing and rich color, she’s also taken the liberty of arting away the human elements. Her zodiac vision is fresh and amazing–but I am going to miss the centaur.
Meader’s intent is a complete revision of a stale zodiac filled with critters and symbols from dusty myth, livening up the starsigns with new imagery and freedom for personal interpretation. She’s off to an amazing start, though purists may find it hard to relate to her imagery. I’m reasonably with-it on my mythology, and had to check the filename to figure out what the hyena represented. It’s Sagittarius the Archer, and except for a certain warlike attitude and sense of speed and motion, the original’s been completely subsumed into Meader’s world. I’m okay with that, though, I really like hyenas.
As for the project itself, It seems like a sound one–enough funding to launch and sustain a web-based store for a year or two. Lots of prints and stickers and such for supporters, with tribal reinterpretations of the zodiac glyphs and Meader’s unique cosmos critters as well (all of which you can find on the Zodion gallery). Stretch goals? There aren’t any…yet, and with a slow start and tight deadline this might not be the campaign for them. But after setting her sights to the stars Meader’s thinking of turning to the other zodiacs. I look forward to seeing what her brush will do with the Chinese starsigns.
I’m also willing to model for “dog” if she needs the help. Call me.
Note: Images used above are included to promote the work of crowdfunding artists, and are owned by the original creator.
