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Actaeon the Deer and the Dog, oil on canvas, 193 x 203 cm, 2020 |
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According to the most popular story, Actaeon, a Greek hero figure, accidently saw the goddess Artemis naked, while she was bathing in the woods. He was spotted by the goddess, who told him not to utter another word or he would be changed into a deer. However, when Actaeon heard his hunting dogs in the distance, he called to them and immediately transformed into a deer. His well-trained dogs found him and tore him to pieces. In Vedic Astrology, the male dog represents Nirriti, the goddess of Destruction. She brings about new creation and new beginnings. The female deer is Mitra, the god of friendship related to the Divine Friend. The painting was inspired by recent global outbreaks of social unrest and calls for change. Protesters are creating chaos and a break-down of social structures. The hero, our Collective Conscience or Carl Jung's idea of the World Soul, must battle between protecting the Earth (Artemis, the goddess of the wilderness) and the many fractured pieces of self-interest. |