scala ad nihilum by Morimox

"Scala ad nihilum" is Latin for "Ladder to Nothing."

While the original intact Jacob's Ladder in the Christian mythos represents a connection between Earth and God and redemption through divine grace, the broken ladder here symbolizes the illusion of that promise. Snakes are usually seen as a malicious entity, but in Hermeticism the serpent can represent transformation, healing, and wisdom. In this piece they represent the freedom of creating one's own purpose in the material world through internal motivation, without the incentive of being rewarded in an afterlife.

This piece also references the game of Snakes and Ladders (the modern version being Chutes and Ladders). You traditionally ascend the ladder by making good choices and descend on the snakes by making evil choices. However, many things which are considered "good" are simply iniquities that are normalized in our society, and things considered "evil" are ostracized or outlawed due to misunderstanding or fear. The snake wrapped around the broken ladder symbolizes discernment and the capability to navigate life through one's own value system.

tl;dr: snek says 'be gay, do crime'

If you like my art, you can find me on most platforms as "morimox" ~