“Kenaz embodies the divine inspiration and creative fire of the artisan, or perhaps the flames through which a blacksmith smelts his weapons. It symbolizes rebirth through sacrifice and creation. This rune often appears in readings for those in artistic pursuits or seeking creative solutions. It brings illumination, turning darkness into light with creativity and radiant energy, pulling from the vast reservoir of collective knowledge.”

-Tina Gong

Almost two years ago, someone told me my original logo wasn’t very good. It was something that I had conceptualized almost a decade ago, and it was something I had been extremely proud of. When I found out it wasn’t good, however, I was devastated. This realization sparked a search for something that I could stand by.

unoriginal logo, designed in 2015.

The original logo (depicted above) was something I seemingly stumbled upon. My brand represented the literal branding—albeit with words—labels, and misconceptions, of an individual or group of individuals. What better way to represent being categorized, than the graphical depiction of a cattle branding iron? What was the iron exactly? It was the letter A. Why the letter A? I have no idea... it seemed to work with the rest of the featured text.

The random conversation inspired self-reflection and exploration. I needed a logo that didn’t break the rules of graphic design. I needed a logo that wasn’t too obscure. I needed a logo that could define me, my vision, my passion—a logo that would convey that same message to the masses.

“Kenaz is the sixth rune of the Elder Futhark and is associated with the element of fire. Its primary meaning is “torch”, symbolizing light, warmth, and illumination. Kenaz represents the light that dispels darkness, bringing clarity and understanding. It is often seen as a symbol of enlightenment and insight.”

-Bearbasix

I felt compelled to research runic symbols, and I stumbled upon one that resonated with me—the Kenaz. Eventually, I adopted the Kenaz, in the form of a branding iron, as my logo. After doing that—for simplicity and to combat redundancy—I dropped the “branded” from the logo. Why unoriginal? Someone once told me it was ironic; he was right.

I have so much to share with the world. Whether it be through my art, my music, my writing, or my fashion, I want to reach as many people as possible. We are all branded; I know this. I want everyone to know this. We don’t have to continue to be slaves to our labels or bound by our shortcomings. We can take ownership of these preconceived notions that people anoint us with. We can remove the power that these “insults”—these words have over us. We can wear them because they no longer wear us down. We can use these labels and misnomers as armor. And we can look good while doing so.

Let me show you how.

References

Bearbasix. (n.d.). Kenaz. Bearbasix. https://www.bearbasix.co.za/posts/kenaz-2/

Gong, T. (August 21). Kenaz rune meaning: knowledge. Labyrinthos. https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/elder-futhark-norse-runes-meanings-list/kenaz-rune-meaning-knowledge?srsltid=AfmBOoqnKd0vyt27_hOi7HYMCZWdsUJgMjo58IyM1trN4XYuBPHJHna0