Asterion 36x24

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on June 8, 2011 at 5:10pm

Curator’s Comment:

 

The title of your piece prompted me to brush up on my Greek mythology, and remember the Cretan Bull of the Sun.  But despite the direct reference to the story, there seems to be additional iconography working on deeper levels.  The red lines crossing the body and crimson tipped spear shapes behind the figure could denote martyrdom in the Judeo-Christian tradition, while the scar on the body could symbolize Prometheus or Saint Sebastian…. the tilt of the animal head (golden calf) could have pagan associations as well.  The benefit (or hazard) of an online query also instructs me that neurosurgeons use the Asterion point, so called for its star shape on the cranium, to orientate themselves in the skull for risky operations.  But even without recognizing these esoteric associations, your piece is beautifully crafted, and taps into our collective unconscious.  The magnificent fur texture in the animal head atop a muscular human neck has primal strength.  The small red curled tongue of anthropomorphized figure licks up at the night sky, in accord with the red tipped spears.