This ostentatious symbol served as a name for the musician Prince
for more than five years After a publishing dispute with his recording company
(Warner Brothers). Adapted from the alchemical symbol for soapstone (by the
addition of a circle) as illustrated in a Dover Clip Art Book, the symbol was
most likely chosen for its resemblence to the planetary symbols of Mars and
Venus, making it a particularly fitting symbol for the androgynous artist.
The
glyph was unpronouncable and caused much consternation amongst members of the
media, who took to calling him "The Artist formerly known as Prince,"
a mouthful eventually shortened to the acronym "TAFKAP."
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