By Terry Poulos, Scientiquity founder and artist
It has been said often that we live in a “post-truth” epoch. Allegations fly concerning fake news, false flags and false equivalences, half-truths, awful slants and spin, miss-direction, miss-information, or outright bold-faced lies. Partisan bickering and shameless pandering have left us in quite the sticky wicket and it’s downright fowl, to borrow a bird pun. There’s more information at our “smart”-phone fingertips today than at any time in history, yet is much of it a mountain of garbage?
Factions fight to stifle information. Even that old bugaboo of book banning has again reared its ugly head.
Enter Owlive, the “Bird of Trey.”
Owlive, the nocturnal owl, plays on the ancient theme of the Greek goddess Athena, who adopted the owl as a symbol of wisdom. The owl is ubiquitous in Hellenic culture and is also commemorated on the Greek Tetradrachma, a coin which once was widely-circulated legal tender.
The sculpture is part of a parliament of owls now lining Halsted Street in Greektown, Chicago, Illinois. The program, now in its 9th year, was commissioned by the Greektown SSA district and is headed by arts patron Eve Moran. Organizers aim to beautify city streets and inspire visitors and pedestrians, providing added incentive to patronage area restaurants and businesses. Close to 30 artists painted owls for this year’s exhibit. Scientiquity’s Terry Poulos was honored to be included in the exhibit for the 8th consecutive year.
Guardian of wisdom, truth and knowledge – Owlive projects her third (ergo, “Trey”) “mind’s eye” chakra via the mechanism of an owl’s 360-degree stereoscopic vision. To clarify, an owl generally is able to rotate its head 270-degrees but by doing so can access a 360-degree field of vision.
Our particular owl, Owlive, has some peculiar tricks up her collar. She’s able to amplify counter-intelligence through the mechanism of mind’s eye holographic projection and use it to combat vast disinformation campaigns, including against exponential AI (artificial intelligence) dark forces.
Owlive wears the tattooed scars of the burning of the Library of Alexandria on her back as a constant reminder of the vigilance necessary to defeat lies and untruths.
Birds of prey, as they call the owl, have witnessed catastrophic loss of knowledge and wisdom not only at Alexandria, but throughout history – through the Dark Ages, in false PR campaigns amidst the fog of two horrific 20th century wars, and beyond.
Owls have also been associated with omens at times. Today, our Owlive weeps after entering yet another ominous epoch of quantum uncertainty, moral relativism, artificial so-called intelligence, and the inhumanity of a deluge of propaganda. Owlive works to regain her once glorious hoot. However, her intellect is still intact. And she portends more omens.
Harboring fierce empathy, Owlive laments the new world order, personally feeling the physical and emotional daggers of her own foreboding premonitions. The sad, wounded owl is eager to sync with the parliament of other owls in hope that – collectively – birds of a feather may flock stronger together to douse the flames of discontent.
Owlive sets out on her nocturnal prOWL. She’s been the guardian of truth, wisdom and knowledge since time immemorial. She’s overcome the dark forces of disinformation and will again reprise her ascension to right the one, true universal Hall of Records.
Owlive greets visitors at the entrance to the Crown Plaza Hotel on Halsted Street in Greektown, Chicago. She booked the entire street-level suite through Spring of 2025, and holds court in front of the beautifully-refurbished Original Rye Deli & Drink restaurant 24 hours per day. Pay her a visit. She loves company and could use a hug.
DIMENSIONS: 4 feet height, 1-foot width, 3-foot length. MATERIAL: Fabricated hollow fiberglass resin mold.
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