Mia's "Medusa"

This is a reinterpretation of Medusa, who is not so much a monster but a goddess here, with the idea being
that she is empowered by her shadow side, instead of dominated by it. Thought I’d share my thought process here:

I used a lot of tarot symbolism, as some of you know I’ve been really into it for the past 8 months or so :)
Medusa herself is the High Priestess, holding Persephone’s pomegranate, wearing a cresecent-antlered crown,
and flanked by two pillars. Wisdom is all around as well.

-3 swords pierce her heart

-Judgement is in full effect in the lava scene in her hair. I used statues to represent Medusa’s ability to turn
people into stone.

Her wrath is a multi-headed Mount Vesuvius, complete with writhing snakes, and fleeing statues.

-The four book-wielding figures on the Wheel of Fortune card can be found in each corner of the piece,
translated into Egyptian and sculptural iconographic beasts.

-The hermit illuminates the nude, who represents Medusa prior to the snake-headed curse.

-The bound woman of the 8 of swords is guided by Death and his scythe.

-I didn’t want to show her beheading, as all the famous portraits do, so the vein-like coral springing from the
heart allude to it, making it monstrous and beautiful at the same time, I hope :) Drops of her blood were said
to have created the coral reefs, as Perseus carried her head over the seas of the world.

-Pegasus, who sprang from her beheaded body, is guided by bats, owls, and a ba (human-headed falcon).

-Cerberus, the 3-headed hell-hound, and Poseidon

-and three Perseus figures-- the purple one, is the invisible Perseus, defeated and running from his shadow;
a miniature pondering Perseus sits atop a giant stone head; and a surrendering Perseus kneels in front of the
pomegranate, removing his invisibility helmet.

Either way, Medusa is victorious. I think she would have been, if she had embraced her monstrosity,
merging darkness with light.


for more information on Medusa please click