Title: Fish Head, (red)

Date: 2021

Description: My inspiration for this painting was a figurine of a fish goddess from Lepenski Vir. When I was painting this picture, I was thinking about Matisse. So the painting connects with his way of painting. The composition is made up of contrasting colors arranged with a strong, dark blue-black outline. My inspiration for this painting was the phrase “fish head.” I hadn’t in mind any specific kind of fish. It ought to be abstract enough to be easily transformed in viewer’s eye into a heart or a vulva, evoked by Gimbutas as a symbol of the goddess’s regenerative power. It is a fish inscribed in an egg with a fish mouth, female breasts, and a vulva. The fish, through its connection with the element of water, indicates fertility in every form and in every aspect of life: giving birth to children, creativity, and generosity.
Technique, dimension: oil on canvas, 50 × 43 cm

First showing: 2024, Oblatów 4

Ownership: Monika Waraxa