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The story behind the work
There are several themes in the artwork which tell a parallel story, combining sensuality and passion with spirituality. On the surface level, it represents the depth of the relationship between the woman and her beloved, and on a spiritual level, the Divine principle is being manifested as being present in all things around us, as opposed to some distant deity in heaven sitting on a throne.
The nakedness of the woman, when present in the artwork, is an idealisation and reclamation of self. It is a direct protest in response to the abuse and objectification she faced as a child, and a statement of victory over the transgressions committed against her. It represents the beauty of the female form, as being sacred, and not merely as an object of sexual desire. Her naked body, which is no longer shamefully hidden in some dark corner of the room, is to be worshiped as part of the divine.
A mirror image of her masculine counterpart; she reflects his light. She is an offering to her beloved; he, in turn, fills her cup and holds her in his watery embrace. Her beloved is at times represented in human or mythical form, and at other times takes the form of the natural world around her. The water, which signifies purity and cleansing of past regrets and sorrows, though traditionally seen as a feminine principle, is instead presented here as the manifestation of the masculine. The warrior, the man, so strong against the world, makes himself vulnerable in secret, and away from the prying eyes of the world, choosing to manifest as water in front of her. The embrace of a waterfall; the quiet depths of a lake or an ocean; the gentle caress of a moonbeam upon her cheek. She is safe in his embrace.
Available work
Acrylic and water colour pencil on paper
Acrylic on canvas
The Journey
Commisioned- past work
Lady over waterfall
The re-imagined "Lady over waterfall"
The original "lady over waterfall" inspired by the poem Sokoła - The Falcon
Sokoła - The Falcon
The blood soaked into the soil;
Life in all its messy incarnations;
A worthy sacrifice to the Gods of fate.
But even as they ate her flesh,
her generous HEART continued to beat deep inside their belly,
and as time went by, even their conscience was stirred.
They felt it rise up, as her HEART stuck in their throat.
Forcing them to spit her out.
They tried to bury her in the sodden ground.
And yet, it continued to throb beneath the soil,
until every tree in the forest was swaying to the beat.
And they heard her blood rush over waterfalls;
And they saw her soaring on the wing of a falcon;
And they felt her HEART beat in every raindrop,
as it fell to the ground towards its final destination.
Commissioned work Acrylic on linen
I was blessed to be given the opportunity to re-imagine this work based upon a previous work. The project took 3 months and 1 day to complete. It was an incredible journey and the house felt empty after she had left. May she bring happiness to her new custodian.
The story behind the original painting is a story of survival and transformation. The sacrifice of the woman's body, viewed by men as existing merely for their carnal pleasure, represents a quiet acceptance of her situation as she falls over the waterfall with her arms outstretched, trusting that the universe will catch her fall.
The blood rushing over the waterfall is symbolic of her continued existence despite the pain and trauma she suffers at the hands of such men..."a tryst a tryst, for the hungry beasts". Despite this, she not only continues to exist; she becomes a part of her natural environment, and nature itself begins to speak on her behalf; the trees in the forest are her witness, every raindrop is an accusation against those who have harmed her, and taken advantage of her innocent heart; an innocence they ultimately rejected.
"They felt it rise up, as her HEART stuck in their throat.
Forcing them to spit her out."
The re-imagined work shows the transition towards healing. The blood has been transformed into fiery red hair, an embodiment of her passion and strength. As she is being embraced by the water and forest around her, two cranes join her, one symbolically covering her, protecting what was previously taken from her and restoring respect for that which was taken for granted. It falls in unison with her to show her that she is not alone, the spirit of the divine is with her. The second bird comes in without fear, and settles among calmer waters, ready to reach for the bounty presented before it in the form of a golden fish, a bounty that also awaits her once she has completed the transition. The goldfish represents the fruits of all her striving; gold being a symbol of the divine masculine; it reminds her that the reward represents divine intervention; the promise of the new beginnings that each day brings and a promise of divine union; the eventual coming together of the yin and yang. She is whole.
Reviews
"Lady over waterfall" is a beautiful symbiosis of visual art, folk motifs, poetry, and deep emotional reflections. Tiny parallel brush strokes make this painting look like a richly-colored tapestry, especially given the large scale of the canvas. And the symbolism and raw openness brings parallels to Frida Kahlo, who was one of the first female artists to bravely reflect on personal physical and emotional traumas. Very impressive artwork!
Angela Loberan NY