six A2 sized gouache on paper paintings
2021
The idea for my second VCE studio arts artwork came about when I was playing around with gouache paints. I found that the textures I created reminded me of the surface of a planet. The theme for my folio was mythology, so immediately I thought about the planets in our solar system and how they’re named after Roman gods. I then experimented with the idea of combining the gods with the planets, resulting in these abstract figurative works.
It was a bit of fun mixing the mythological elements to these peculiar figures. I added symbols to some in order to easily identify them. Neptune holds his trident, and Pluto holds a bident. I depicted Jupiter’s lightning in a similar style to the trident and the bident. I found this unified the three brothers in a pleasing way. Also, Juno can be spotted behind Jupiter. I wanted this to allude to the Juno space probe NASA sent out to “check up” on Jupiter. I found this humorous considering Jupiter’s moons are named after his lovers. So, in essence, Juno is catching Jupiter in the middle of his mess.
Venus may be slightly harder to recognize, as the colour palette does not quite resemble the planet’s. However, her pose was inspired by Antonio Canova’s marble statue “Venus Italica” (c. 1822-23).
You might notice that Minerva makes an appearance within these six – made recognizable by her helmet. If you remember the planets, you’ll know that Minerva isn’t one. The idea behind this painting was inspired by the hypothetical Planet X in our solar system. I’ve pitched the name “Minerva” because in the Trojan War, she wore a helmet that made her invisible. This alludes to the undetectable planet that may or may not actually be out there.
This artwork isn’t as conceptual as my first one (discussed in the post “VCE Studio Arts – Leave Him, Sigyn”). However, it was extremely beneficial to me as an artist. This kind of experimentation with colour, form and texture required a lot of trial and error, and I’d say it was worth it.
