The Water Dancers: Us Too
40” x 32”
Acrylic on canvas
The underlying truth about the duality of the dancing pair in this art work is that they may avoid being subsumed by means of quick decisions that help them stay above water. Survivorship and practices to ensure it are present in all cultures throughout human history. Some are related to religious ceremony and others to human industry.
Iconic and mythical, Ishtar is a goddess who is continually resurrected from the death of spring. In this painting, she comes to life as a balletic young female whose blank, expressionless face suggests the conformity of mindlessly performing ritualistic steps. This form of fugue becomes her flight into health. As a cultural icon the Ishtar image was highly significant to maintaining cultural, religious and seasonal balance in ancient Mediterranean cultures. In this work she represents a feminist sensibility.
In 2019 I had the opportunity to view actual carved Ishtar and related figures at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. These were excavated by underwater archaeologists during the rediscovery of the lost city of Thonis-Heracleion, buried over 1000 years ago by the rising tides in the Mediterranean Sea. Ishtar figures were used ritualistically as offerings and to express and bridge cultural changes. This concept seems relevant to our times.
Rapidly crossing on top of water surfaces when threatened, Basiliscus lizards are reptiles known for this impressive flight response. Pictured here, the mature female animal extracts herself from the chaos of a traumatic situation by fluidly re-creating herself. Her gaze expresses self-awareness and is in contrast to her less experienced dance partner, but they are actually two sides of the human psyche.
Although rapid, expressionist painting techniques created this acrylic painting, x-rays would reveal that numerous layers, changes and decisions over time took it from a gestural line drawing to a highly edited composition. It is notable that I was first introduced to Ishtar while viewing Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party plates when a student at the Brooklyn Museum. This experience was profoundly impactful, with lasting influence on my interest in human nature, art history, natural history and feminist sensibilities.
40” x 32”
Acrylic on canvas
The underlying truth about the duality of the dancing pair in this art work is that they may avoid being subsumed by means of quick decisions that help them stay above water. Survivorship and practices to ensure it are present in all cultures throughout human history. Some are related to religious ceremony and others to human industry.
Iconic and mythical, Ishtar is a goddess who is continually resurrected from the death of spring. In this painting, she comes to life as a balletic young female whose blank, expressionless face suggests the conformity of mindlessly performing ritualistic steps. This form of fugue becomes her flight into health. As a cultural icon the Ishtar image was highly significant to maintaining cultural, religious and seasonal balance in ancient Mediterranean cultures. In this work she represents a feminist sensibility.
In 2019 I had the opportunity to view actual carved Ishtar and related figures at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. These were excavated by underwater archaeologists during the rediscovery of the lost city of Thonis-Heracleion, buried over 1000 years ago by the rising tides in the Mediterranean Sea. Ishtar figures were used ritualistically as offerings and to express and bridge cultural changes. This concept seems relevant to our times.
Rapidly crossing on top of water surfaces when threatened, Basiliscus lizards are reptiles known for this impressive flight response. Pictured here, the mature female animal extracts herself from the chaos of a traumatic situation by fluidly re-creating herself. Her gaze expresses self-awareness and is in contrast to her less experienced dance partner, but they are actually two sides of the human psyche.
Although rapid, expressionist painting techniques created this acrylic painting, x-rays would reveal that numerous layers, changes and decisions over time took it from a gestural line drawing to a highly edited composition. It is notable that I was first introduced to Ishtar while viewing Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party plates when a student at the Brooklyn Museum. This experience was profoundly impactful, with lasting influence on my interest in human nature, art history, natural history and feminist sensibilities.