Never back-talk, never lie, or he'll drop you from the sky.

Moving forward, I've begun to investigate characters through history that have acted specifically as guardians and protectors. My main reason for this was coming out of my initial research of Ayn Rand's Objectivism and its disdain for idols and religion. I have started researching the tale of the Greek Titan Atlas, whose sole purpose is holding the world in place.

I'm really interested in moving forward with these sort of gods/idols, who exist as stoic protectors of humanity, they give people invulnerable hope and unshakeable faith. The idea of one figure being in control of the security of the world is something that is carried into the narrative of the Bioshock games (which were inspired by Ayn Rand's theories and novels), in the character of the monstrous Songbird.


The Songbird is a giant winged monster that acts as the guardian of the floating city of Columbia, which is a narrative parallel for an idealised America at the turn of the 20th century. In the game, it is the subject of heavy handed religious and patriotic propaganda, appearing as a moral constant, rewarding the good with safety and protection, and punishing the evil with death. Due to the early 20th century industrial nature of the Songbird's design, I'm going to study it in lino, to capture the gears and leather that make up the body of the monster.