Throughout my residency at Studio Escalier, I developed an appreciation for the power and beauty in transforming a form human. The craft of creating depth, character, and grace from the paint and canvas is a delicate practice. It emphasizes the intentionality in developing art and depicting a story. My goal for this collection is to disrupt this violent, abusive intentionality for three female-driven stories. Daphne, Medusa, and Callisto are three separate tales in Greek mythology all with the same foundational component of sexual violence. The rape of these bodies by Man was also rape by nature. The metamorphosis of Daphne, Medusa, and Callisto strips them of their autonomy and power. Most of the visual depiction for these stories exhibits and reinforces the male gaze. Using my understanding of transforming form, I attempt to restore the beauty, voice, and power of Daphne, Medusa, and Callisto.
“Open, earth, and swallow me up! Or change the face which puts me in great fear of corruption, and destroy it!”
Daphne’s attempted escape from Apollo ended in her metamorphosis into a laurel tree as a final measure to avoid his unwanted advances. This suspenseful pursuit has produced beautiful art pieces including Bernini’s “Apollo and Daphne” statue. Seldom is Daphne the sole focus of her own story. This piece, “Victorious Liberation,” concentrates solely on Daphne’s narrative and transformation. From the soft blending of colors and brushstrokes to the lighting illuminating the front and her heart, I delicately constructed Daphne’s essence and authority over her own story. The intermediate phase of transformation compliments her core of humanity but is also a resignation to her fate. She is free, and she is safe. Her sacrifice is her newfound autonomy but at what cost?
Coming soon
Coming soon