WOLFMOTHERHOOD
an ongoing parafictional exploration of the ancient sapphic mystery cult
Installation view of a mobile, sans babies from “Evidence of Things Unseen” (2024) at Invisible Dog Art Center in Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Argenis Apolinario.
WOLFMOTHERHOOD is an ongoing interdisciplinary exploration of the Capitoline Wolf and associated feminine lupine deities from the Mediterranean basin and beyond. Installations recreate mysterious altars, shrines, and sacred artifacts of unknown use. The work draws from historical records and mythology—blended with speculation—to shed light on the spread of an ancient sapphic mystery cult to modern times. Expert accounts from notable anthropologists bolster the veracity of this project, for example, Dr. Janet Lykos’s groundbreaking recent article in the Journal of Anthropological Research.
“The lasting impact of Wolfmotherhood (WMH) on Western civilization is incontrovertible amongst modern cultural anthropologists, seemingly shaping everything from gender dynamics to practices of health and well-being (Dhib, 2017; Ujk, 2029). Yet, a recent national poll indicated that amongst strong adherents of the faith 64% endorsed that they were ‘unsure’ of the veracity of the Wolfmother’s origin story and another 20% indicated that they ‘definitely did not believe’ it to be true (Gallup, 2031). Such a finding is perplexing considering the widespread popularity of the feminist deity and her penetration into the broader cultural landscape of the United States (US); indeed, it seems that WMH may be losing its remaining religious and spiritual trappings in favor of more accessible, practical rituals. While it would not be the first time an ancient religion evolved to a form that is nearly unrecognizable (e.g., Protestant Christianity’s turn toward the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ in the 1980s, for more see Hladky, 2012), WMH is indisputably the oldest remaining faith with significant archaeological evidence.”
— Dr. Janet Lykos, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology from “Legacies of Wolfmotherhood: From the Ancient to the Online” (2034)
Dr. Janet Lykos lecturing to a riveted crowd at School of Visual Arts in 2024.
Dr. Janet Lykos lecturing to a riveted crowd at Field Projects in 2026.
installation view from solo presentation of “WOLFMOTHERHOOD” (2024) at Brazosport College Art Gallery in Texas. Photo by Molly Arc.
Work in progress documentation of Repetition, Repetition (2025), upcycled fiber and chains, 50x96 inches. Photo taken at ChaNorth Artist Residency in Pine Plains, NY.
Installation views of “Evidence of Things Unseen” (2024) at Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY. Photos by Photo by Argenis Apolinario and Melanie Brewster. A parafictional journal article by Dr. Janet Lykos accompanies this work and can be read here.
take care, an interactive installation
from “New Ways of Doing Things” (2023) at SVA Flatiron Gallery
Wolfmother Will Take Care of You, 2023, interactive installation, size variable, mobile is 70 x 25 inches
Wolfmothers on mobile were screen print onto my grandmothers antique wrap skirts from the 1950s, then sewn into plush toys with sterling silver chains attached from each teat. Remus and Romulus brass sculpture is antique and found.
Men and boys are invited to sit beneath the mobile and be hit with teat-chains as they rotates around them.