ˈkʁampʊs: Claw, Son of Hel German Pronunciation • ˈkʁampʊs (kram-puss) (plural Krampuses) Proper noun 1. A beast in the folklore of Alpine countries, said to punish misbehaving children during the Christmas season. 2. Krampus m (genitive
ˈkʁampʊs: Claw, Son of Hel
• ˈkʁampʊs (kram-puss) (plural Krampuses)
1. A beast in the folklore of Alpine countries, said to punish misbehaving children during the Christmas season.
2. Krampus m (genitive Krampusses or Krampus, plural Krampusse) (Bavaria, Austria) Krampus
In German folklore, a centuries old tradition celebrates St. Nicholas’s counterpart, Krampus, the Christmas “devil” that, instead of bestowing treats and gifts to good children, punishes and takes away the naughty ones. According to legend, on the night of December 6th, Krampus shows up in towns, which is known as “Krampusnacht,” or Krampus Night. December 6 also happens to be “Nikolaustag,” or St. Nicholas Day, when German children look outside their door to see if the shoes they had left out the night before were filled with either presents (for the good), or a rod (for the bad) by St. Nicholas.
This Pagan tradition and story has roots seated in origins that date well before Christianity. Krampus is derived from the German word, “krampen”, which means claw, and in Norse mythology, he is the son of Hel, a giantess (or goddess, depending) who ruled over the underworld and the souls of the dead. Various Krampus stories have spanned throughout many countries, including Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Hungary, and Northern Italy. Folklorists and anthropologists have still yet to determine the true origins of this figure.
This collection is the result of our artists studying the folklore surrounding this “dark” persona of Christmas, and then working to retell the story through their mediums, their eyes.
And be good, boys and girls…
(Thursday) 6:00 pm - 9:20 pm
Deep Ellum Art Company
3200 Commerce St Dallas, Texas