Samantha Harrison | Recreating Depictions of Myth and Spirit
1. Jeong Min as Bacchus, oil on linen, 30″ x 36″, 2019
2.. The Last Supper (Jeong Min as Jesus), oil on canvas, 48″ x 38″, 2020
3. Self-portrait as Narcissus, oil on canvas, 48″ x 38″, 2019-2020
4.. Nigel as Mars, God of War, oil on canvas, 38″x 48″, 2020
Artist Statement
The narratives associated with these mythological and spiritual subjects have been painted many times over the last five centuries in Western Art, and the influence of the cultures that produced these images continue to be felt among artists as well as others. The religion and mythology that gave way to the production of many works of art influenced many aspects of Western society. What can be learned from these images, and how does recreating and changing these images add new meaning to these narratives, while shifting positions of power for both the models and potential viewers? Hope and despair, perseverance, failure, and the continued question of the spirit and the divine, have never ceased to be explored in human culture. In recreating these images I intend to ask these questions and invite all viewers to ask them as well- without the exclusion that would have historically been based on gender and ethnicity, among other differences.
Other Works
Contact
Instagram: @samanthas.painting
