Where I took this further was through exploring process in summer school 

So this is where I am going with my current project this year, where I am gonna simplify my concept and run with where it goes. 

This is where I got the idea to simplify my concept and I landed on 

“Intimacy/sexuality of couples through painting”

I made some changes to the idea of my thesis, rewriting and recontextualising my themes to add in a psychological element and this works for the group that I will be interviewing,  i want to make sure im seeing people in that range of the development of prefrontal cortex and see how this changes the way that people talk about their intimacy and their relationships im not sure if there will be a big change in how people answer my questions or talk about intimacy but i have 

Notes: Brain maturation is influenced by heredity and environment, prenatal and postnatal insult, nutritional status, sleep patterns, pharmacotherapy, and surgical interventions during early childhood. Furthermore, physical, mental, economic, and psychological stress; drug abuse (caffeine, nicotine, and ethanol); and sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone influence the development and maturation of the adolescent brain. MRI studies have suggested that neurocircuitry and myelinogenesis remain under construction during adolescence because these events in the CNS depend on sex hormones that are specifically increased during puberty.

Abbreviations: CNS, central nervous system; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.

Taken a bit of a break over the weekend due to some personal issues, but now im back im going to talk about my process and some of the ideas im seeing and thinking of when making, and I guess more what I had planned, so last year I worked on loose fabrics and dresses. I found it difficult from a practical standpoint, so I started thinking of ways to recontextualise fabric and cotton in different forms. For instance, I have been looking at 100% cotton paper as that happy medium between fabrics and substrates, and a more practical painting surface, as well as I started to take some photos of my arms and hands for these paintings 

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,   
The stride of my step,   
The curl of my lips.   
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,   
That’s me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,   
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.   
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.   
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,   
And the flash of my teeth,   
The swing in my waist,   
And the joy in my feet.   
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Men themselves have wondered   
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,   
They say they still can’t see.   
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,   
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.   
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.   
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,   
The bend of my hair,   
the palm of my hand,   
The need for my care.   
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

This is the whole idea of using the body to describe an action associated with intimacy, and then using that part of the body to create the rendering adds this level of metaphysical idea of representation of time and the signifier with the sign itself.

Speaking to the symbolism itself of the two different types of fingering with the contention of people having their hands up as in an arrest and this idea of surrendering to an authority or an idea in this case to a system of governance that does not hold the same weight or care for queer thought.

Paige Leggett’s 2025 Dissertation: [intimacy/sexuality of queer bodies through painting]

Brief overview of the stated goal of this project

“Intimacy” is the term that is seen through two very different lenses in the English language. Intimacy is closeness or familiarity, and intimacy is a euphemism for the meaning of sexual or romantic relationships. I plan to express that these two definitions are not mutually exclusive, but often feed into each other in a queer space as well as tackling misnomers and harmful stereotypes of queer intimacy. as something to be challenged through queer couples and my own experiences. This study will explore Intimacy and sexuality through case studies of young queer people and their relationship with sex, romance and their partner/s and the radical space of self-expression through said intimacy. These case studies will be designed to express my own experiences and those of other couples and individuals. I will interview and account for their experiences through writings and thoughts painted to show the beauty and the radical history of queerness. 

 My work is inspired by the traditional radically queer artist of Egon Schiele, Hannah Roemer, Halie Torris other artists who express sexuality (primarily their own)

As by the nature of painting, I will explore a secondary subsect of intimacy, moving closer and slower to make detail and paying attention to each brush stroke made to create an emotional space in which performance through the act of painting can detail the emotional and physical states of said people's interviews and experiences.

My art in this project will be designed to challenge and fight the current rise in fascist thinking and erasure of queer peoples and couples in Western countries.  Highlighting their experiences as a space that can not be ignored, as well as honouring the divergence from hetero-normative sensibilities, the nuclear family and monogamy being the norm. 

What would be expected of you as an interviewee? 

The idea of what I'm looking for in interviews is to have a more open style discussion of your queerness and your positionality in the current society and modern life in a way that can be confronting, but ultimately the goal from me as an artist will be not to force you into ta ough conversation but to gain a new perspective on how other queer bodies/ people see intimacy and this will lead likely but not explicitly to conversation of sexual nature and please do be prepare for that. 

This will all be voice recorded, and all voice recordings will be transcribed for my workbook for my research practice. You can decide if you would like to have these recordings done or if handwritten notes are more acceptable.

What will the next step after the interview be?

The next step after the interview will be a process of gathering your likeness either through photography or sketches, these renderings or captures may be covered or nude it depending on what is comfortable for you as the interviewee, but I may choose not to go further with your painting if there is no aesthetic link to queerness and body/ intimacy.  As an example of an image that is of my likeness, but not descriptive of me, but will help understand how a non-nude could be done in the context of this study 

‘surrender, power, control” Paige leggett 2025

Another way this could be achieved is through other acts that show intimacy but are not sexual ie a kiss a hug or something of this nature, just to make it clear that nudity if you are comfortable with it could be an avenue for making for me, is not explicitly needed for this project, this project is more about understand and expressing queer love and the body, not just the form. 

The goal would be to work with you to make you feel safe in your image being taken in whatever form that takes place, i.e. deleting of files after use/ secure file storage, i.e. a flash drive or in the cloud, and I will cooperate in any means necessary to your comfort. 

Then these images would be used to create a painting of you or your likeness in some way relating to your interview and with your input being added in the making process for your ease of mind.

These works will be shown in critique in my art studio rupo and possibly exhibited in the future, with your consent on whether these works will be publicly exhibited, if exhibited the installation methods will be done in a way to preserve your mana. The goal of this project is to celebrate your queerness and your intimacy with others, and you will be given full right to choose to have this painting of your likeness be shown or not, and what context it is shown in. 

Please tick: Yes/No

 Yes/No  1     I agree to participate in this study under the conditions set out in the Information  Sheet 

 Yes/No  2     I would like to bring someone with me to the interview 

 Yes/No  3     I/we agree to the interview being sound recorded 

 Yes/No  4     I/we wish to have a copy of the recording 

 Yes/No  5     I/we wish to have a copy of the transcript to review 

 Yes/No  6     I/we understand that participation in this study is confidential and that although direct quotes may be used, names will be replaced by pseudonyms and there will be no material that could identify me/us or my family in any reports. 

Yes/No   7 I/we wish to receive a summary of the results from the study  

Declaration by Participant: I _______________________ [print full name] hereby consent to take part in this study. 

Signature: _______________________ 

Date: ________________ If you have invited someone to join your interview as a 

coparticipant: I _______________________ [print full name] hereby consent to take part in this study. 

Signature: _______________________ Date: ________________ If you ticked ‘yes’ to 

items, 4,5, and/or 7 please provide your contact details below: 

Address: _______________________ Email: _______________________

Telephone: _______________________ 

On the 13/03/2025

-The relationship of queer culture and its themes in association to myself 

-The relationship of wider culture and themes to bisexuality

-The relationship of trauma, and intimacy 

-labels

-ptsd and overthinking etc, “everywhere and nowhere at once”

Panic attacks 

“Hiding behind yourself”

Hiding from one label to  another label 

Interview one Alanah 13.03

Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.

Sweet. Alright, cool. So, with the forms and everything, we're keen, we're happy, we're cool.

So, this project is my 2025 dissertation looking at queerness and the body and sexuality of queer bodies and queer people. Perfect. Would you like to introduce yourself for the record? Yeah, so I'm Alana Rind.

I'm studying at Vic, doing my Masters as well. I'm 22. Yeah? Any pronouns, anything you want to put forward? Oh, just she, her.

Nothing really to put forward, I don't think. Lovely. Yeah.

And how would you self-identify? Like, how do you fit into this project that is beneficial for, like, I guess, my audiences? Pardon? With my audiences. Like, how would you identify within this project? Yeah, so I'm bisexual as well, and throughout, like, the last, maybe it was like two years, year and a half or something, you really struggled with, like, gender identity, but I'm firm on that now again, so that's fine. Would you want to talk on that? I can, if you want.

Well, this is an open discussion. I'm definitely not taking this as written questions. It's more just having a korero and making it through a conversation.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so, yeah, I'd say it was like probably two years ago.

I was just kind of like, I don't even know what it was. You're also welcome to have some chocolate if you want. Oh, thank you.

Yeah, I don't know really what it was. It was just something that popped up in the front of my head, but I think I was just struggling with identity as a person in general, rather than just it being a gender identity thing. And so for a while, I was not really saying I was non-binary, but I was just going by she, they, just to kind of like test the waters a little bit.

And I was like comfortable with that and everything. I still am. I really don't care what people want to, like, what pronouns people want to call me.

speaking to me and special I got to get a abit understanding and depth of sometimes I would call a friend and she really did speak kn seem very interesting spaces as a queer artist and how opening yourself up is honestly incredible hard. Finding her first queer crush and etc was something I saw as very special and deep and I hold her interview with alot of care as I have started to think about my practice more along the lines of what is considered practice and what is considered that every day . I have been thinking about how conversation in itself is practice and in the spaces we make for creation can be almost metaphysical in that the creation process Especially in this series is all about moving everyday storied of queer peoples and elevating them to a pace of importance-not only beacuse they are important stories to tell but also to highlight human intimacy and experience.

My work is an exploration of the intersection between the past and the present, utilizing ancestral technology to create contemporary pieces. Through the use of natural materials and traditional techniques, I seek to honor and preserve cultural heritage while also pushing the boundaries of what is possible. My goal is to create art that is both visually stunning and deeply meaningful, inviting viewers to reflect on their own connection to history and tradition.

• April 19, 2024 - November 23, 2024

West Gallery - On Site Exhibition

Clarice Tara Cuda, just drawings of my baby, Installation View, In Relation, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, Documentation by Krystal Ramirez

just drawings of my baby

Micron pen and mixed-media paper

Clarice Tara Cuda

This work was on view from April 19 - November 24, 2024, for the exhibition "In Relation" at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art.

“Can I just draw my baby? Is this something that is valid and able to connect to other people? It’s valid to me, but is it valid for others?” As an artist and a new mother, Clarice Tara Cuda was afraid that drawings of her baby would not seem important. “We’re almost told not to. It’s like: you’ve just had a baby, of course you want to draw your baby, don’t draw your baby.” Her emotions of doubt and insufficiency were juxtaposed with the sense that birth had been a momentous event, something that upended all of her certainties as an artist and took her back to a place of absolute discovery. “It’s like trying to understand the expanse and birth of the universe; that’s what it feels like: trying to conceptualize what it is to be a mom … I feel I’m like a one-year-old and back at square one,” she says. “Birth is my sense of awe and terror, it’s my sense of the sublime.“

Created: 2023

I created a very simple and homemade style, speaking to the ideas of demomestic

Both artists laid bare the interiority of the figure they depicted: Bacon’s primal images excavating the deepest complexities of the human psyche; Schiele investigating his characters’ unconscious psychology and emotion, often through frank sexuality. Distorting their figures to often unsettling effect became the ironic means to reveal their truest essence.

Schiele and Bacon also turned to self-portraiture as a way of expressing their own inner nature. Selbstbildnis (Self-portrait), completed in 1910, the year Schiele fearlessly pushed his self-fashioning to reveal new, intense sides of himself, readily aligns him to Bacon’s raw and intensely scrutinizing self-images.

The pairing also seems appropriate to Peyton’s practice, which combines exceptional technical ability with a sensibility predicated on a sincere emotional connection to her subjects. Her recent work has foregrounded the artist’s deep engagement with the history of painting, with inspiration from (and allusions to) Manet, Sargent and Moreau, and seen her practice expand to include pastels and a variety of printing techniques. Her portraits, which have included artists, musicians, and literary, historical and cultural figures, among others, negotiate a delicate line between fidelity to life and self-expression.

1. The titles and the space that holds and whether they are necessary 

The comments around the space of my titles were that they were kind of unnecessary because I had the printer materials that had the titles on them as well. People started speaking about how it could just be printed books by the side. And it doesn't need to be more than that. , but especially because of the titles, it was also my name, which kind of led to some confusion on whether this was self-portraiture or not. I think it's kind of a good thing to think about, and testing out titles like that kind of gave me some Good things to think about, and I think I'm going to remove titles and kind of continue this idea of what is considered too much and what is not considered enough. 

2. The relationship of printed material to the paintings, how this speaks to the person originally, and how it can change the perspective.

One thing that I got a lot of positive feedback on was the printed material that was put beside the paintings, which added a little bit more context but not too much. So people could still form their own opinions about the stories and about the person and the kind of representation i was speaking about, I feel because my process is because my practise is so story driven, I felt that it has to be an element that I put all a care into aswell as using other art forms as like poetry, composing and photography in that space. Kind of allows this project to become a multimedia project, and people felt that when they'd go up to the little booklets to take them off the strings attached the the painting, they'd be right up close to the painting, which isn't the conventional way to view paintings. They are forced to be intimate with the painting of that person in a new way.  So, thinking where I'm going forward with this is probably to make the books a little bit more intentional, a little bit more loved, and a bit more cared for, adding a bit more attention to the care put into these narratives. I think a lot of the benefits from the printed material will be even emphasised by spending time making enhanced stitched books, etc.

3. The nature of telling these stories and why someone would do that and how the context can shift when more stories are added

So one thing i was told to think about is the space or potetntal issues that could arise from showing multiple people really personal stoires around each other and how this could lead to readings that may not benefit each persons story and to think about the curatorial process that will lead to what stories i show and what i dont show based on my own biases and also biased on who my friends are and what relationships do i show and what do i show and i think, this challenged me to think about what queer story telling is and what it dymanics exist in my work and what benefit there is to my substrate and medium.

4. Technical painting skills, benefits and improvements 

I had a few people point out some technical issues, and also just thinking about working on how to render tattoos and wether or not the tattoo was distracting or if the tattoo was needed and needs to be more in your face as queer culture often thinks about tattoos as a representation of themself and shows whats important to a person. I think I'll just be rendering a bit of my work more and looking at the space that I need to give myself to practice my skill, ie sketching more etc. 

5. How much do I centre myself and my relationships with these people or not, and what space do they hold as collaborators in art? 

This question was back on about the titles in particular putting my name on these works and does this remove from the space of these peoples storie and how do I see myself either as a colrabator or as a maker. What space do I sit in, and how do I position myself? 

(Passport name: YU, WEI-YI)

I’m come from Taiwanese artist, WIll Yu (尤瑋毅). The creation of human nature on the subject of life philosophy is my artistic work for many years. I think that life is a very important matter, and art is a secondary issue. Because if you seriously think about all the problems in life, your artistic creation will naturally be strong. However, art must be "sincere".

​

We had that imaginary world in our minds when we were little.

As i grew up, I still pursue that wonder world.

Because art is “here”

Because I am, art is here

Because art is here, my life truly “exists”people see my dreams rather than telling them.

“I am art”

​

Masculine 

The research is a study of “Research of the Masculine” which discusses Taiwanese men in the modern society. When men faced many kinds of fetter and oppression from their living environment, they generally represented with hard and strong manner, and tried to resist back. However, when they place themselves in a privacy area, they also feel hesitate and helpless, and their innermost feelings will appear in another kind of self-image. Although this kind of image still looks tough and strong, the male characteristic is actually filled with femininity. Therefore, this is an adjustment of external behavior which causes their inner-unbalanced. In recent years, this kind femininely characteristics have become more commonly appearing among the masculine men.

Originally, I was thinking about how there is such a relationship of putting your hands up, surrendering to the powers that be. Surrendering to a partner in a sexual context. and this space of what self-pleasure is.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

During his brief artistic career, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured the lively and often sordid atmosphere of Montmartre’s late 19th-century dance halls, cabarets, and theaters. Recording the performances he viewed and the establishments he visited on a nightly basis, he functioned as artist and narrator: his paintings, drawings, prints, and posters expose the complexities of the quickly changing age in which he lived. Between 1890 and 1900, Paris saw tremendous growth in its nightlife scene, with nearly 300 café-concerts serving women and men who drank, smoked, and fraternized in ways previously unpermitted to them in public. In such prominent clubs as the Moulin Rouge and less reputable institutions like the Moulin de la Galette, aristocrats often rubbed shoulders with the working class. It was within these establishments that Lautrec found the subjects he would voraciously document over the next decade.

Despite descending from three lines of aristocracy, Lautrec derived artistic inspiration from the people he lived among in Montmartre’s working-class neighborhood, including prostitutes, singers, and fellow artists. In La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge (1891–92), he depicts Louise Weber, a cancan dancer nicknamed, “The Glutton,” linking arms with two women at the Moulin Rouge. In her confident gaze, Lautrec captures the unabashed brazenness of female performers in modern café life. In other paintings, he portrayed tired prostitutes queuing for mandated health checks. Together, these works amount to a snapshot of the dramatically shifting gender and class relations in Paris at the turn of the century.

Lautrec chronicled his era largely through printmaking—something few other artists had attempted to do in this medium. From 1891 until his death in 1901, he produced nearly 350 lithographic posters, editioned portfolios, and illustrations for journals and theater programs recounting life in Belle Époque Paris. The rise of color lithography in 1891 ushered in a new form of printmaking, and Lautrec found great success in this medium. This process allowed him to print large posters in color, including Divan Japonais, and he soon began experimenting with fresh applications, among them crachis, a technique that creates a splatter effect. In a letter to his mother, he remarked, “I have just invented a new process that can bring me quite a bit of money. Only I have to do it all myself….My experiments are going awfully well.”¹

Lautrec also created advertisements, many of which hung in Paris’s streets and public squares, promoting upcoming musical and dance performances. One of his preferred clubs was Le Mirliton. The venue’s owner, Aristide Bruant, commissioned the artist to produce a number of posters in 1893, including Aristide Bruant in His Cabaret (Aristide Bruant dans son cabaret) and Aristide Bruant. Lautrec’s first and most well-known poster—Moulin Rouge, La Goulue—depicts the animated dance hall in the Moulin Rouge. Spending many evenings at this famed establishment, the artist entertained a close relationship with the venue and its owners, who, at one point, hung his painting of a circus in the entry hall. This poster, one of more than 200 of his printed works in MoMA’s collection, epitomizes Lautrec’s representation of the places he visited and the company he kept during his daily life in 19th-century Montmartre.

Note: Opening quote is from the artist, as quoted in Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Sarah J. S. Suzuki, The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec : Prints and Posters from The Museum of Modern Art (New York: The Museum Of Modern Art, 2014), p. 12.

Emily Cushman, Collection Specialist, Department of Drawings and Prints, 2016

1. Lautrec letter to his mother, Paris, November 1893 letter 168, in Lucien Goldschmidt and Herbert D. Schimmel, eds. Unpublished Correspondence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. London: Phaidon, 1969, p. 164.

Carmen Winant is a key figure in art, using archival imagery to explore and challenge societal perceptions of women's experiences. Her work creates powerful narratives centered on the female body, offering a feminist reimagining of history and personal experience.

Winant's journey into photography began in high school, where she developed a fascination with images. Initially focusing on original photography, she eventually shifted to recontextualizing existing photos, a move that allowed her to delve deeper into feminist themes. Her creative process is notably chaotic, reflecting a dynamic and intuitive approach that echoes her teenage years of layering images on her walls.

Her beliefs are deeply embedded in her art. Influenced by her mother and her own background as a competitive long-distance runner, Winant views feminism as an intrinsic part of her identity. She aligns herself with radical feminism, which critiques the compatibility of patriarchy and capitalism with feminist ideals.

Winant’s work involves sourcing materials from various places, including bookstores, online platforms, and institutional archives. This method has evolved, especially as she balances her roles as an artist and a mother. Her projects often require building relationships with organizations, such as feminist groups and clinics, adding a collaborative and socially engaged dimension to her art.

Collaboration is central to Winant’s practice. She works closely with curators and peers, fostering a collective process that enhances the depth and reach of her work. Her installations and artist books are the result of these rich exchanges.

Mentorship has also played a crucial role in her development. Catherine Opie, a professor at UCLA, was a significant influence, helping Winant shape her approach to art. Projects like "My Birth" have been pivotal in her career, marking turning points that expanded her understanding of her practice.

Carmen Winant’s contributions to art lie in her ability to reframe and reinterpret women's experiences through archival imagery. Her work invites viewers to engage with feminist narratives, challenging and expanding their perspectives on history and identity.

Artist's artwork:

0:07

It's not that obvious and you have to look very well, old man for instance they have more obvious these colors,

0:16

women less, children less but always there is something to be seen. I'll show you more or less what

0:24

are the basics of these three zones of flesh colors in the face.

0:30

What colors are used for this example?

0:52

I start with making the three light colors for the forehead. A more yellowish one

0:59

so there is Ochre, White and a touch of Terra Rosa

1:15

and I make a string with White.

1:22

that's my color for the forehead

1:28

now I make a light color for the cheeks. There is more Red in, Terra Rosa and White.

1:41

also the white string.

1:49

For the third I prepare first a gray one. Ivory Black and Titanium White,

2:00

that makes the sort of gray but I know this has a bluish character.

2:10

The third one I start with Titanium White a little bit of Terra Rosa

2:19

and some of this gray.

2:24

You see: I hardly use any black in the shadows

2:31

but in the light zone for this demonstration I use this gray.

2:40

Now what I need is a shadow. Transparen Oxide Red , Viridean Green,

2:53

and a touch of Cadmium Red Deep to make it more reddish, warmer.

3:00

Shadows are warm. That's maybe too much red so a little bit of green extra and I can

3:10

start with the portrait. Right, I just make a portrait out of imagination,

3:19

more or less to explain what the three colors in the face look like.

3:25

I start with the shadow and here we go

3:33

The chin. Half of this size are the eyes,

3:42

From the eyebrow, the half and half is the end of the nose

3:49

and this zone the area is divided in 3/3.

3:55

Here were the eyes. the eye socket.

4:03

I start already with some shadow,

4:10

It's only a simple explanation.

4:22

The shadow under the nose, a cast shadow under the nose.

4:38

This wrinkle here. Something of the mouth.

4:46

A shadow here.

5:07

And the ear of course.

5:17

Well with this information I start explaining the three colors.

5:24

First on the forehead and I said there is some ochre to be seen.

5:36

Why there is ochre? There is not so much blood over there.

5:53

Here the temple

6:08

Maybe a little bit more down. Now the red for the nose and the cheeks.

6:25

and you see I just simply block in the whole area.

6:32

I don't pay attention so much to a good likeness because I do this from memory.

6:43

Under the eyes

6:54

On the cheeks there is more blood. Remember if you come from outside in

6:59

wintertime, this two zones are really red because of the blood over there.

7:07

Now. The third color is the grayish one, on the upper lip here.

7:21

Let's forget the whole lip. The chin

7:35

Here is more a combination of the three.

7:49

That's the starting point for the three basic colors on the face.

7:57

The ear ears never can be too red I always say so why not do it like this.

8:09

it's a very thin wash.

8:15

First I do again the deep shadows to get a sort of solid image and I start with the hair.

8:21

If you need black don't paint black. I give the men black hair

8:28

and black is Transparent Oxide Red (or Burnt Sienna) and Utramarine Blue.

8:36

It makes a beautiful black. if you add a touch of green it gets warmer.

8:53

and you see it's a dark, dark hair. A dark color. and no black.

9:00

And I try to make the darks always transparent because it's easy to add on top more contrast.

9:11

I'll tell you later: Darks are easier to make darker and lights

9:17

are easier to make lighter. So that's for the hair.

9:24

Well let me do the same accents for the eyebrow

9:30

more or less, I don't hang around so much here.

9:39

The receding plane towards the background is a shadow,

9:45

a warm shadow.

"In the musical Fun Home, an entire number is devoted to the carabiner or belt-side keyring, the song in question aptly titled Ring of Keys. It was inspired by a moment in Bechdel’s memoir which took place in the 1960s, where a young Bechdel spots a butch woman with a short haircut, lace-up boots, and a ‘ring of keys’ and sees her own self reflected back. The lyrics to Ring of Keys ooze desire for a certain lesbian way of being, an earlier iteration of the TikTok user who always feels ‘giddy’ upon clasping a carabiner to their belt loop. The lyrics to the chorus, written by playwright Lisa Kron, are as follows: Your swagger and your bearing And the just right clothes you're wearing Your short hair and your dungarees And your lace up boots And your keys, oh Your ring of keys. (Kron 2015) Whether a carabiner or a ring of keys, the keyring has endured throughout the decades by being recognised and wanted by lesbians. It is simple and useful; it is persistent. The carabiner, however, is far from the only lesbian accessory that is thriving in the early 2020s."

Statement

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, now currently living in Los Angeles.

My art is about humanity. Portraiture has traditionally been symbolic of wealth, status, and power, but my work focuses on deconstructing portraiture to a universal relationship between viewers and subjects. Taking elements from multiple references combining them to a human form the portraits transcend boundaries and identifiers allowing a universal human level of significance.

Poems and poetry are something I have always worked on for myself, and this work has been something to connect and ground myself, as I am a deep-feeler, and poems are how I connect and show intimacy with myself This is why I this this could be a really good move but this requires me to be increbly vuniable and my work always is but like this would be puttting my heart out there for people to see and to jugde.

Wool on wool

Spring Lamb

30x40cm

oil on canvas

Annette Defoort & SylC

18.04 | 29.06.2025

Open Fridays & Saturdays 2-6, Sundays 11-6 and other days by appointment. Tel: +32.486.97.59.00

Free admission.

"ATTRACTION"- Original & unique artwork - Mixed media on paper, 65x50cm, Art by SylC ©

1918, published 1922

im revisiting my 2022 compositions. they had some tension

His face, calm and contemplative, and with a slightly furrowed brow, is rendered more precisely. Schiele, who in his self-portraits cast himself as a divinely-ordained “seer,” perhaps here imbues Gütersloh with a similar sense of artistic purpose.⁠

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This masterpiece from the collection of @artsmia currently hangs in @leopold_museum’s special exhibition, “EGON SCHIELE. Last Years" (on view through July 13, 2025).⁠

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🎨 Image: Egon Schiele, “Portrait of the Painter Paris von Gütersloh,” 1918, oil on canvas. Minneapolis Institute of Art, Gift of the P.D. McMillan Land Co., 1954.

Acrylic and ink on canvas

675mm x 765

675mm x 350mm

570mm x405mm

Acrylic on canvas

I have always been fascinated by hidden meanings in images and symbols. This interest led me to write an article about the meanings of mirrors in art last year. The deeper I delved into my research, the more intriguing it became. Naturally, I decided to explore more symbols. It took a bit of time, but – ta-da – today is the day! The symbol I'm focusing on this time is the apple.

Content

1

Through Myths and Legends: The Apple as a Symbolic Fruit

2

The Complexity of the Apple: Why It Is Such a Versatile Symbol

3

Gallery: The Apple in Art

4

How the Apple Shapes Our Language

5

Windfall or icon?

Through Myths and Legends: The Apple as a Symbolic Fruit

In religion and mythology, the apple plays a central role in several significant stories.

In the tale of the golden apples of the Hesperides, the apple represents immortality and eternal youth. These apples granted the gods precisely that. Hera received the tree bearing these apples as a wedding gift and entrusted it to the nymphs. They, along with the dragon Ladon, guarded it in their garden. The demigod Heracles, tasked with twelve nearly impossible labors as punishment (a different story altogether), had to steal them. In doing so, he attained immortality and became a god.

The legend surrounding the "Apple of Discord" thrown by Paris is tied to the events leading up to the Trojan War. Eris, the goddess of discord, threw a golden apple inscribed with "For the Fairest" among the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Not invited to the wedding and looking to stir trouble, Eris succeeded in igniting a dispute among the goddesses over who deserved the apple. To avoid the fallout, Zeus passed the decision to a mortal: Paris, the prince of Troy. The goddesses tried to bribe him with power, heroic fame, and love. Paris chose the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, awarding the "Apple of Discord" to Aphrodite – and thus Helen, already married, entered the scene. The ensuing events are chronicled in Homer's Iliad*. Here, the apple symbolizes beauty, vanity, and conflict.

*The link provided is an affiliate link to Amazon. If you make a purchase through it, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend books that I personally read. Thank you for your support, and happy browsing!

Peter Paul Rubens, Das Parisurteil / The Judgment of Paris

In the biblical story of Adam and Eve, the apple symbolizes temptation and sin, but also knowledge and enlightenment. In the Book of Genesis, the serpent tempts Eve to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve then shares the fruit with Adam – this act is often interpreted as a symbolic representation of sexual temptation and the discovery of sexuality. Consequently, both are banished from the Garden of Eden. Although the Bible does not explicitly name the apple – it simply refers to a "fruit" – it has become established in Christian art and literature as a symbol of the Fall and the loss of innocence, as well as human susceptibility to temptation.

In Celtic mythology, the apple tree is considered sacred and is associated with love, fertility, and magic. The island of Avalon, whose name derives from the Celtic word for apple, "Aval," is depicted in Arthurian legend as a mystical place of healing and eternal youth. In many Celtic tales, the apple is viewed as a magical fruit with healing powers and the ability to bestow eternal life.

In Norse mythology, the apple also represents youth and immortality. The goddess Idun guards golden apples, which are essential for the gods to maintain their youth and strength.

But the apple is not only found in mythological and religious tales. In European history, the orb, a part of the royal regalia, symbolizes the worldly power and authority of the monarch. It represents secular authority derived from divine right.

In many cultures, the apple is also a symbol of love, fertility, or sexuality. For example, in Slavic folklore, there is a love custom where an apple is cut in half and shared between lovers to strengthen their bond and promote fertility.

The Chinese word for apple, "píngguǒ," sounds similar to the word for peace, "píng'ān." As a result, apples are often given as gifts to promote peace and good relationships.

In the poems of the Persian poet Hafez, the apple is used to describe the beauty and desire of lovers. The red color and sweet taste of the apple are equated with passion and longing in love. The apple tree, a source of protection and nourishment, symbolizes eternal love and steadfastness.

In the story of Cú Chulainn, a hero of Irish mythology, an apple plays a crucial role in choosing his beloved Emer.

The Complexity of the Apple: Why It Is Such a Versatile Symbol

But the symbolic power of the apple is far from exhausted. In many cultures, the perfect spherical shape of the apple is seen as an expression of wholeness and harmony. It represents perfection, or even the universe itself. The apple also symbolizes femininity, standing for both the earthly and the divine feminine, such as in the form of Mother Earth.

The apple tree symbolizes the cycle of life, and its fruits represent not only youth but also transience.

How is it that some of the meanings of the apple seem diametrically opposed?

Symbols are inherently ambiguous and have the capacity to carry multiple meanings simultaneously – even to the point of contradiction (Viennese neurologist Sigmund Freud famously wrote an essay on this, "The Antithetical Meaning of Primal Words"). The apple can symbolize both love and discord, innocent beauty and vanity, immortality, and transience. This ambiguity allows the apple to adopt different meanings in various contexts. Each culture and era has developed its own interpretations and significances based on its specific myths, legends, and religious beliefs.

For example, ancient religions and mythologies were often tied to natural cycles and rhythms of life. They celebrated life, nature, and transitions, known as rites of passage. Rituals and festivals were meant to mark the seasons, the harvest, or the transition to the afterlife.

In contrast, traditional Christianity developed a highly codified ethic and moral system over the centuries, based on the teachings of Jesus and the commandments of the Bible. It places special emphasis on concepts like sin, redemption, and the Last Judgment, highlighting the consequences of sin, including punishment in the form of hell or damnation. As a result, the apple is often viewed negatively in Christianity, whereas it holds positive connotations in ancient mythologies and other religions.

The meanings of symbols can also change and evolve over time. A symbol that had a particular meaning in one era may take on a completely different meaning in another. This fluidity allows symbols to remain relevant and adaptable, reflecting the changing values, beliefs, and experiences of different cultures and time periods.

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The logo of the technology company stands for knowledge, innovation, and market power.

Gallery: The Apple in Art

In Caravaggio's painting Bacchus, the apple, along with other fruits and wine, symbolizes abundance and plenty. The Roman god of wine and ecstasy represents enjoyment and zest for life, but also intoxication and madness.

The opulence of the painting displays enticing pleasures, sensuality, and temptation, symbolized by the apple. Caravaggio uses the apple to indicate the cycle of life. Alongside a plump, fresh apple lies a worm-eaten one. Another is already decayed, and next to it is a split pomegranate. Caravaggio thereby points to the passage of time, transience, and the fleeting nature of pleasure.

In many paintings of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, an apple is also present. Here, the apple, as in depictions of Adam and Eve (see above), refers to the Fall of Man and original sin, but in a different context. Mary is seen as the "new Eve" and Jesus as the "new Adam," who has come to redeem humanity from its sins through his sacrifice.

Mary, who was born without original sin, and her son, who is free from sin, are pure and innocent, as symbolized by the apple. When the Christ Child holds the apple, it signifies the divine wisdom and knowledge that Jesus brought into the world. Therefore, the apple also represents divine insight and wisdom that lead to redemption.

Portrait with Apples by August Macke depicts his wife Elizabeth with a bowl of apples. This painting is characteristic of Macke's style, featuring his use of vibrant colors and simple, clear forms.

At the time the painting was created, Elisabeth Macke was pregnant. The apples symbolize fertility and new life. Thus, Macke portrays not only the outer appearance of his wife but also her inner reality and the changes in her life. The careful manner in which Elisabeth holds the bowl of apples could also hint at the care and protection of the new life she carries within her.

The renowned French painter Paul Cézanne was fascinated by the form, color, and simplicity of the apple, often incorporating it into his works. While there is no exact count, it is estimated that he created over 200 still lifes, many of which feature apples as a central motif (see cover image above). He is even reputed to have said, "With an apple, I want to astonish Paris." – and he certainly succeeded!

Cézanne's still lifes are distinguished by their meticulous composition. Particularly notable are the often intricately draped tablecloths and napkins, whose folds and shapes sometimes resemble Mont Sainte-Victoire, a mountain near Cézanne's home in Aix-en-Provence, which was also a frequent subject of his paintings.

On the surface, however, Cézanne was not primarily concerned with the symbolic meaning of the apple when choosing this motif. By repeatedly depicting apples, he could explore the essential principles of painting such as form, space, and perspective. He viewed the apple not just as a fruit, but as a complex object.

Nevertheless, the apple in Cézanne's still lifes also represents nature and the simple life in the countryside.

Still Life as an Art Form

Still life paintings (also known as "nature morte") are depictions of inanimate objects such as fruits, flowers, or household items. The fruits represent abundance, wealth, and prosperity, as they symbolize a rich harvest and plenty. At the same time, however, they also symbolize the transience of life.

In these works, the fruits are not perfect, at least not all of them. Some are rotten or worm-eaten to emphasize life's impermanence and decay. These so-called vanitas still lifes are meant to remind the viewer of the finiteness of life, the transience of earthly pleasures and worldly goods, and the inevitability of death. They caution moderation and highlight that worldly wealth and enjoyment are only fleeting.

One of the most famous depictions of an apple in art history is surely the painting The Son of Man by René Magritte. Like his artwork Ceci n'est pas une pipe, it plays with our perception. Regarding his motivation, Magritte once said, "Everything we see hides another thing; we always want to see what is hidden by what we see."

The Son of Man is likely a self-portrait. At least, the appearance in the painting matches the artist's style of dress. Magritte also wore a suit and bowler hat. However, this cannot be stated with certainty, as the apple obscures part of the man's face, representing Magritte's central thesis that everything we see hides something else. The apple thus becomes a symbol of concealment, stimulating human curiosity and the desire to uncover what is hidden.

The familiarity of the apple makes it an effective tool for conveying the complex philosophical idea. The apple, as a biblical symbol of temptation and knowledge, aligns with Magritte's intent to prompt the viewer to think beyond the obvious. Additionally, the title The Son of Man has a strong religious connotation, referencing the biblical term "Son of Man

A legend says that in the 1920s, the term appeared in the horse racing scene. African American stable hands in New Orleans referred to New York City as the "Big Apple," the ultimate destination where the biggest horse races took place. John J. Fitz Gerald, a sports journalist for the New York Morning Telegraph, heard it and began using the term in his column "Around the Big Apple" in 1921.

In the 1930s, the jazz scene picked up the term. Jazz musicians saw New York as the destination of their dreams. If you made it here, you had made it!

In the 1970s, New York struggled with a poor image due to economic problems and high crime rates. The tourism industry revived the old nickname. The positive association with the apple was meant to portray the city as a desirable travel destination.

How the Apple Shapes Our Language

The apple is deeply rooted in many cultures and has found its way into numerous idioms that reflect its symbolic meaning and ubiquity in human life. In Germany, for instance, there is the saying "Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm" (The apple doesn't fall far from the tree), meaning that children resemble their parents. Other examples include "In den sauren Apfel beißen" (to bite the bullet), "Jemanden veräppeln" (to fool someone), or "Äpfel und Birnen vergleichen" (to compare apples and oranges).

There are also examples of this in other languages:

English:

"The apple of my eye." – Someone who is greatly cherished.

"One bad apple spoils the whole barrel." – A bad influence can ruin an entire group.

French:

"Tomber dans les pommes." (literally: to fall into the apples) – To faint.

"Croquer la pomme." (literally: to bite into the apple) – To succumb to temptation.

Spanish:

"Ser más sano que una manzana." – To be very healthy (literally: to be healthier than an apple).

"La manzana de la discordia." – The cause of disputes (literally: the apple of discord).

Italian:

"Cadere come una mela matura." – To fall or die unexpectedly (literally: to fall like a ripe apple).

Dutch:

"Een appeltje voor de dorst." – To save something for the future (literally: a little apple for the thirst).

"Voor een appel en een ei." – To get something very cheaply (literally: for an apple and an egg).

These idioms highlight the widespread cultural significance of the apple, demonstrating its influence on language and expression across various cultures.

Windfall or icon?

I can't end my article without mentioning Isaac Newton. We all know the legend: Newton was sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on his head, and he realized the principle of gravity – a moment that revolutionized science.

Of course, the story didn't actually happen that way. But why was an apple chosen for this story? It could just as easily have been a pear, a plum, or a nut. The story would have worked just the same. The apple stands for knowledge and the acquisition of insight, beautifully underscoring the story.

Incidentally, there was also a rather intense legal dispute between the Beatles and Apple Inc. over the name "Apple." But to paraphrase Michael Ende: that is another story and shall be told another time. Today, we most commonly encounter the (symbolic) apple while shopping, where it stands for organic farming and healthy nutrition.

Would you have thought that so much could be contained in a simple apple? What do you associate with an apple? Let me know in the comments.

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I mihi to Mahuika, I bow deeply to the fire and everything she taught me about heat, passion, change, and transformation. I am grateful for everything she has changed in and around me.

I wrote this while watching Peter pour my works – with respect and gratitude for your skills and dedication, and to all the team in there that day and every day. 

********

Pour

The kilos tick down

as they pour out of this cauldron this

bucket held on pulleys

full of fire

from the furnace the dragon the volcano

the heat.

like all those things

You shouldn’t get to close to

461 to 326

To 75

These fluid weights

pouring out

I think I care about the art

Until I see them pour molten iron and I know

I just care about the people

that they are safe

that we are not too close

that they are safe

It should always be a by-product

the art you show

around it are the cups of tea

the quiz

the stories

the questions

the sand to catch the fiery drips

the 36 years you’ve worked here

the sound of it pouring into the cauldron

which really does sound like

boil and bubble

The strength

The letting me do it

The showing me

The letting me be strong

The care

They are close to it

And they know what to do

And they are doing it, right now

For my art.

The holes left by those soft scraplets,

Filling with fire, filling with molten metal

Filling with change

I watch it cool, the amber pink orange red

sinking as it hardens.

It leaves writing as it disappears, not in

Letters but drawing saying

again, there is a moment

Pay attention.

There is a time, between this form and the next

where things are possible, where things

are different.

Pay attention.

The fire looked at me.

She said

There is a moment

Only a moment

Go through it

And she was hot

And direct

And uncompromising

Now, she said

I am always hot

I crack as I cool but here

Go

Be

Hot

Opposition or from strapping me to the factors into the top, identified previous personneous as a tattoo might stronger if that mark wasn't there, but I'm kissing up herself the meaning of consult. 

Speaker 2 (00:47)

I mean, I was sort of big day about that, and so that you need choices we make to adapt or transform our body is pure spirit and I think is sometimes purity words so shrouded and that money Sam, I don't know, I don't know, I think it's adorned in heavy. Or how we choose to leak 

Speaker 1 (01:36)

Wasn't even if you just know you feel electronic value and dengue, part of this kind of Hollywood skin? 

Speaker 1 (01:57)

Robert later stories, but ending up the running is something they didn't know that I think I'm just as humans. 

Speaker 2 (03:02)

When you've removed the friends, we are undone, yeah, I would bound. 

Speaker 1 (03:54)

Yeah. 

Speaker 2 (05:05)

What of the bookwors altered with a chain and a padlock to the painting? You know, like how like what other bombs you know, because I think sometimes it's hard to break through the binary lives and wall and stuff. But we can literally do whatever is it rude here or a strand of a wig like biding the book or something, but like Is it about keeping it safe or giving away a piece? 

Speaker 2 (05:34)

How do we demonstrate a fragment. but I think it's so generous of the people? I totally agree, it could be acknowledged the collaboration there if you wanted to do that layer, meaning this story being like the breath to you direction in another way, I like happily. 

Speaker 2 (05:53)

They have so much personality and answers to you, and I think I don't know something that was Russian mate, so we're going against Richard scribe, but I'm late more. 

Speaker 2 (06:44)

There's such different comes as well, like you've made really fairer that comes to move treaty between focal there, but that's one is how much events solemn. You know that my emaic is there something I guess like your name, daddy Dom surrender, power control and something so like and I kind of love that dynamic, as things accumulate of kind of blurring, the lines between like You know, we can f*** like that, but it feels like this kind of thing. And I think that will even bring forth some of those queer narratives, what's where once there's a community of these stories in a space. 

Speaker 1 (07:26)

The biggest dangerous the words that was me feelings about myself. This one I started making books. Are you right now like? 

Speaker 2 (08:10)

Parently 

Hold on to what is right.

To whom you are.

To what you feel is your compass. 💛

Adam and Eve is the title of two famous works in different media by Albrecht Dürer, a German artist of the Northern Renaissance: an engraving made in 1504, and a pair of oil-on-panel paintings completed in 1507. The 1504 engraving depicts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, surrounded by several symbolic animals. Wikipedia

Artist: Albrecht Dürer

Created: 1507

Dimensions: 2.09 m x 1.63 m

Genre: Christian art

Location: Museo Nacional del Prado

Media: Panel painting, Oil Paint

Period: Northern Renaissance

Artist Michelangelo

Year c. 1512

Type Fresco

Medium Ceiling plaster

Subject Genesis creation narrative

Dimensions 280 cm × 570 cm (9 ft 2 in × 18 ft 8 in)[1]

Location Sistine Chapel, Vatican City