Mikael Owunna and Marques Redd (Rainbow Serpent)

Artists Mikael Owunna and Marques Redd are the co-founders of Rainbow Serpent, a nonprofit organisation creating work at the intersection of multimedia art, emerging technologies, and traditional African cosmologies. On 17 April 2026, they unveiled their first monumental public sculpture in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Arts Landing, commissioned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Rainbow Serpent. ‘This Is the Body of the Sun’ is an 8 ft cast aluminium sculpture adorned with 23.5-karat gold leaf. It represents their reinterpretation of the Ancient Egyptian sun deity, Ra. For Owunna and Redd, this figure symbolises leadership, sovereignty, and inner heroism.

The collar features a hieroglyphic hymn to Ra from the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. Each glyph is meticulously sculpted onto the collar's 12 lines. An excerpt is below:

“Ascribe praise to Ra, the Lord of Heaven; the Prince of Life, Strength, and Health; Creator of the Gods. Adore ye Him in His beautiful presence in His rising in the atet boat. The House of the Prince is in a festival, the sound of those who rejoice is in the mighty dwelling. The Gods rejoice when they see Ra in His rising; His beams flood the countries with light. Mayest Thou be at peace with me, may I see Thy beauties.”

The creation of this project began after our Rock Tavern team received a 3D file of a sculpture that needed to be enlarged to eight feet. PMMA prints were used as a foundation, followed by a shelling process to prepare for aluminium casting. As the sculpture took shape, the team emphasised both structural integrity and aesthetic appeal, culminating in a careful sandblasting of the surface for a smooth texture. The finishing touches included a vibrant paint layer and the application of 23.5-karat gold leaf, resulting in an opulent final product that captures the eye and imagination.