Queen of Coins

Even Peter Pan craved a mother for himself and his tribe of Lost Boys. No matter how far we fly, we must return to earth-- and when we do, we become desperate for the comforts of that world, discovering an infant-like vulnerability that is both intensely pleasurable and intolerable.

Fortunately the Queen of Coins knows just what to do for us. She tends the hearth, shaping the material world into one that allows all her children-- all of us-- to enjoy its splendor. Don't mistake her domesticity for weakness, however. Anyone who threatens her young will find themselves facing a devastating protectress. We follow in her footsteps when we find ourselves tending our homes, our gardens, our bodies-- anything which we offer to others as a safe haven. Like the Queen, we are often too preoccupied with the task at hand to worry about the big picture-- which has its drawbacks. These heights of devotion are the cornerstone of human nature, but they also set the stage for epic proprietary battles in which our inflamed animal hearts beat their wildest tunes.

The image above is just one of Fred Einaudi's many works exploring a dream-world in which women and children experience quiet moments of reflection amidst harsh apocalyptic landscapes. How does nature decide who to shelter and who to grind down? We look at these images and hope that a mother is somewhere off-stage, waiting to take these children home.