Walli Walli Bug

Artist:      Shoosty®     Year:     2023

Medium: Duplex Printed Ink / 18mm Silk Twill 

Size:      36” x 36”  

Walli Walli Bugs otherwise known as stag beetles are symbols of strength and power and are believed to be lucky charms, capable of bringing good fortune to those who possess them. In some parts of the world, it is said that stag beetles can help to ward off evil spirits.

Shoosty’s image of the stag beetle sitting in a still pool surrounded by water droplets is a symbol of contemplation and meditation. The beetle’s calm and peaceful posture, combined with the serene surroundings, suggests a state of inner peace and tranquility. It has a meditative quality, inviting the viewer to reflect and find inner peace.

In 1505, Albrecht Dürer’s created “Stag Beetle.” He used watercolor and gouache in a lifelike manner with its head slightly reared as if on the hunt. Dürer was a German artist known for his detailed and realistic depictions of animals and nature. This photographic rendering was created hundreds of years before the camera.

While Dürer’s “Stag Beetle” and Shoosty’s Walli Walli both feature stag beetles as their central subject matter, the two works differ greatly in their style and technique. Dürer’s painting is a realistic depiction, while Shoosty’s is a stylized illustration. Shoosty® uses the symbology of Asia with the flourishes of Art Nouveau, while Dürer’s painting does not contain any overt symbolism.

Albrecht Dürer said, “It is indeed true that art is omnipresent in nature, and the true artist is he who can bring it out,” This idea can be applied to both Dürer’s “Stag Beetle” and Shoosty’s “Walli Walli”

In Shoosty’s “Walli Walli,” The intricate patterns and colors on the beetle’s body and wings, combined with the serene surroundings, create a meditative image that reveals the inherent artistry present in nature.

Overall, both artists have succeeded in bringing out the artistry present in nature through their respective approaches.