"Enemy Within" : Original Artwork by Karien Bredenkamp
"Enemy Within" : Mat Boards that Original and Limited Edition Prints get shipped in

"Enemy Within"

$35.00
Print Or Original?:Limited Edition Print
Quantity:
Only 48 units left

Prints: Limited edition of 50

About The Artwork:

"Enemy Within" is a powerful piece of black and white art that explores themes of inner bondage, temptation, and the hidden strength required for liberation. Created as part of a tarot-inspired series, this illustration reflects the complex symbolism of the Devil card. Two hands reach out through a hole, bound by chains, while a key dangles from the very shackles that imprison them, suggesting that the means of freedom lies within. At the bottom of the composition, skeletal bat wings emerge, incomplete yet full of potential. This whimsical black and white art piece challenges the viewer to confront the internal forces that hold them back—and to recognize the strength they already possess.

Bats are creatures of the night, often misunderstood, yet deeply symbolic in many cultures. While commonly associated with darkness, fear, or the unknown, bats also represent intuition, rebirth, and transformation. In some Native American traditions, bats are seen as guides through the darkness, helping navigate personal change. In Chinese symbolism, bats are actually good luck, representing happiness and prosperity. In "Enemy Within," the skeletal wings hint at latent potential—the architecture of flight without its visible power. It is a quiet reminder that transformation begins with acknowledging the structures already in place.

Chains represent restriction, oppression, and control, but they also symbolize patterns, habits, and attachments we carry willingly or unconsciously. In mythology and literature, chains often appear when a character is trapped—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Yet, the presence of the key in "Enemy Within" disrupts the narrative of helplessness. It points to self-liberation, suggesting that what binds us is often sustained by our own fear, belief systems, or unresolved pain. The chains become symbolic not just of captivity, but of the illusion of powerlessness.

The presence of fire adds emotional and symbolic weight to the illustration. Fire traditionally symbolizes passion, temptation, destruction, and purification. It burns through illusion and forces transformation—whether invited or resisted. In alchemical traditions, fire is a purifying force, burning away falsehood to reveal essential truth. The energy of fire in "Enemy Within" is felt in the tension, the urgency of the bound hands reaching out, and the silent cry for liberation.

The Devil card in tarot is one of the most misunderstood, often viewed as dark or ominous. In truth, it represents bondage to illusion, unhealthy attachments, addiction, and self-deception. But like all cards in the tarot, it offers a path forward—an invitation to face the shadow, reclaim personal power, and break free from what no longer serves. In "Enemy Within," this theme is rendered with haunting clarity: the chains we struggle against may be real, but so is the key to release them.

Together, these elements form a meditation on inner struggle and the possibility of redemption. The hands reaching outward, the chains that bind and also hold the key, and the skeletal wings waiting to take flight all reflect the paradox at the heart of the Devil card: we are both the captor and the captive. "Enemy Within" urges the viewer to confront their inner demons—not with fear, but with honesty—and to recognize that freedom is not something granted from outside, but claimed from within. This black and white art piece is both a caution and an invitation: to see clearly, to feel fully, and to fly when ready.

"Of all the heartache I will ever know, only some of it will be real. The rest, I will create." ― Crystal Woods

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