So many snakes, so much fun to paint! As a fan of Greek mythology, I was intrigued by the idea that Medusa’s hair was made up of all kinds of different species of deadly snakes. I’ll have prints available at Phoenix Comic Con next week and online soon!
by Heather Lee Birdsong, 2012, relief print on mulberry paper, 8.5 x 5.75 inches (paper size), edition of 3 plus 2 AP.
Originally an ancient monster with goggling eyes and prominent fangs that served as a protective symbol, Medusa morphed into a lethal and victimized beauty. According to later mythology, she was raped by Poseidon and beheaded by Perseus with the help of Athena, female upholder of patriarchy (and favorite daughter of Zeus). Many 20th and 21st century feminists have reclaimed Medusa as a symbol of rage and survival.
Contemporary reinventions of the myth typically overlook Athena’s complicity in the patriarchal domination of and violence against Medusa, though that strikes me as a particularly terrible part of the tale. It also feels the most relevant: it is a pattern we see repeated in every story of the powerful abusing those less powerful. It makes us feel alone even when we are not, and undermines the seeking of justice and redress. It is up to each of us to be wary of our own complicity when tested. I think of this artwork as a talisman for this kind of wariness, incorporating both aspects of Medusa’s myth.
look out kids, it’s being feral about bernini hours again
the facial expression! the way her hair turns into snakes! the snakes which have their own damn facial expressions and details and the way the exaggerated curve of her brow makes it look like it’s already turned to stone, and the reason the rest of her face looks clear and soft is because it’s still flesh BUT IT’S ALL STONE
it’s ROCK okay
eta: i was like hey i know i’ve yelled about fucking bernini before i wonder if tumblr will let me actually search my blog and i found a post where i’d added these tags
so like, yeah, biteable bernini been A Problem for a long time.
I had such a blast watching all the hermits’ april fools pranks. And I kinda really started to adore ZombieCleo’s gorgon skin an concept for her season 9 character.
Servants of the Fifth Holy Grail War: Rider ↳ Rider, the ‘bewitching black serpent’, in actuality is the Gorgon Medusa, a fabled creature capable of turning whoever gaze upon her eyes into stone. More of a Divine Spirit than a Heroic Spirit, she survived through time due to the belief people held about her existence. Shinji Matou acts as her abusive Master, when it is really his adoptive sister Sakura Matou who is Rider’s true master.
“What Pandora brings to mortals is complexity. And that is true of all the women in this book […] Their stories should be read, seen, heard in all their difficult, messy, murderous detail. They aren’t simple because nothing interesting is simple.“
cursed emoji gorgon stickers link in comments. also available on pin badges and face masks SIMILARLY TO the practice of putting gorgon eyes on the rims of sympotic kylixes to turn the drinker into the mask of medusa as they lifted their cup
