Bronze, concrete, 2024.
15W x 17H x 11D
Entitled “Venus; Bye bye Baaaby!” (2024); This piece derived from a personal exploration into the questions: If there is a Venus (Aphrodite) in today’s world; Who is she and what does she look like? What values does she embody? What does it mean to be feminine, beautiful and powerful today.
I had to strip myself mentally from all previous depictions of her in art history as many of those preconceptions no longer apply in our current social landscape. I set out to create a female form which would not only symbolize and embody the values of Venus but simultaneously be free from the confinements of religion, culture or race .
Whereas, in many historical depictions of Venus her physique was often the main catalyst for her form, I was more interested in the mental attributions which she embodies which then in turn would dictate her physical form. I feel every woman today (in her own right) is a Venus (or aspires to be) and if so what would she be? no doubt she embodies the attributes of strength, empowerment, confidence, fearlessness; the notion that she can dive into uncharted waters (from where she originally arose from in Greek mythology). Hence, this sculpture is a consequence of my exploration into these thoughts.
In this particular rendition of Venus, the rose (being the flower of Venus) is repeated to add powerful play to the narrative of femininity. Each Rose has 12 petals to symbolize entirety & perfection.
Venus is jumping off a chewed-up apple core and I will leave that for interpretation.
I began this exploration of femininity as a series of graffiti which I created around Miami Beach back in 2021 called “Peekaboo Bathers”. I eventually felt she needed to become 3 dimensional in order for me to fully process her and the space in which she sits.
Limited edition count of 8
