Elle Azul Duncombe-Mills
Briar Knuckles: Transformative weaponry to rid self — and other — of illusions of self and other, 2023
Nickel Silver, Glass Opal


Myth: the story of our collective soul. And subject of much personal speculation.

I present this set of thorny knuckles — a modern defense weapon now mythologized: amplified with the appearance and archetypal power of its ancient, natural counterpart. Prickly and deadly, thorns emerge in myth as the arbiter of right and wrong — as sinister instruments of divine will. They are always a catalyst for radical change.

And I ask: in the myth of our modern moment, what might the appearance of thorns signal in the narrative? Which realities do they permit to continue, and which do they banish?

So wield the set but be weary: the thorns will pierce illusions held by others and self alike.