Night Swimmer c. 1940

Cleo Van Buskirk's lithograph print "Night Swimmer" depicts a swimmer drying off at night. The swimmer’s contrapposto pose echoes classical statues of athletes, and the dark rendering invites a psychoanalytic interpretation. Consider the staff with snakes, reminiscent of the caduceus. In ancient Greece, this symbol was associated with Hermes, messenger of the gods, and later with medicine and healing. However, the night setting infuses the symbol with ambiguity. The image evokes a primal fear of the unknown, the darkness concealing potential dangers. In our collective memory, night swims are associated with both exhilaration and risk. The swimmer's act becomes a metaphor for confronting our fears and the unknown depths of our own subconscious. Ultimately, the image transcends a literal depiction of a night swimmer, tapping into a deeper vein of human experience—the eternal cycle of facing fears, emerging from darkness, and seeking solace.