Athena Painting

My subject matter for this work is a female figure and the diversity of emotions that make up human experience. I wanted the viewer to be able to relate to this intensity of emotion. Too often woman is expected to exhibit a narrow range of emotions due to societal expectations to be pleasing, feminine and kind. In this work I wanted to show a diversity of emotion including both the negative and positive I wanted to present a figure in a reflective pose to encourage females to reflect upon their intrinsic self. The chest and face are prevalent in the composition to discuss elements of the male gaze and how it objectifies females to an object of sex that do not have emotions. I’m contrasting against this view as I’m not depicting a sexualised view of the female. The neck of the female is slightly distorted to reference the impact of internal emotions on the external, physical body. Furthermore, the head is proportionately larger than the body, suggesting the role the mind plays in interpreting emotions. The hands that rest on the face allude to the processing of emotions and internal thoughts. Moreover, the hand is small in comparison to the face which demonstrates the lack of support for the mass of varying emotions the figure is carrying. Despite this the figure is still strong and able to release emotions, indicated by the red glassy eyes that hint at the figure crying. Additionally, the thick, dark hair appears heavy and almost drags the figures head down. This insinuates the weight of emotions the figure is carrying. The negative, light brown space around the figure isolates the female and presents a confined and solitary aesthetic. This expansive space around the figure helps the viewer focus on the expressions rather than being overwhelmed with distractions. The large size of the canvas emphasises the power emotions can have over the individual.

Painting:Oil on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:60 W x 80 H x 2 D in

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