Medusa
2020
Dandelion Demiroren
Oil on canvas

“With my knowledge of the classical world, as I study classics alongide art, I assume that Medusa must have been no older than 20 years old, possibly as young as six, most likely a teenager. To me, Medusa has always been a vulnerable, scared girl, who has to have been imbued with self-hatred, confusion and a disconnect from her own humanity upon being deemed a monster.

The goal of my project is to have people see Medusa not as a monster nor a powerful and vengeful woman, but as what I believe she truly was, a young girl who have been hurt by those she idolised, and is now scared, hurt, vulnerable and feels alone. I wanted to show the side of being a survivor or sexual assault that is usually thrown away in favour of the side of anger and vengeance, of putting up a powerful figure to idolise, so that perhaps those who survive similar things can feel that they are not alone in feeling vulnerable.”