"Medusa, Her Word Against His" was selected by juror Janet Mikolajczyk for Creative Recovery at Summit Artspace.
About the exhibit: "Creative Recovery, an exhibition that seeks to give artistic expression to the struggle, the celebration and sometimes, the tragedy of recovery, opens Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, in the Transition Gallery at Summit Artspace on (140 E. Market St., Akron, OH)."
Artist Statement:
In Greek mythology, Medusa was turned into the snake-haired Gorgon by the goddess Athena as punishment for being raped by the god Poseidon. In classical art, she is almost always portrayed as dead, having been killed by the hero Perseus (as a further punishment for her rape and subsequent monstrous appearance). However, in the mid-20th century Medusa was reclaimed as a feminist symbol by writers such as Cixous. This Medusa uses graphic self-portraiture to examine the relationship of this mythical story to both contemporary gender norms and current events regarding rape culture and body shaming. "Medusa, Her Word Against His" portrays the aftermath of Medusa's rape in brutal detail, and yet focuses on her agency -- victimized, she also discovers her own strength. It reflects the conservative attacks on reproductive rights and support of rape culture while reminding women of their potential power to petrify the male gaze.