Legacy: a modern medusa

Women have been a source of inspiration for my art for many years, and recently, my art has focused on exploring realistically rendered women with a slight surreal twist. Legacy grew from this exploration, depicting a renowned mythical being tackling the mundane and domestic task of braiding her hair snakes. I have always held special love for the Medusa figure, a woman assaulted and then cursed by the gods. In this piece I wanted to humanize the mythic being, especially in a time when the gorgon is a powerful symbol of sexual violence survivors. The act of braiding hair feels universal. Regardless of a culture’s technique of braiding, the hand positioning looks familiar, evoking different memories of braiding in the viewer. I love playing with this sense of familiarity in contrast with the mysticism of the myth of Medusa. Legacy invites you to view Medusa in a new light, showing the gorgon taking her curse and nurturing it, promoting an idea of self acceptance and healing.