Venus 

Michael Parkes' painting presents us with a modern interpretation of Venus, replete with symbols that echo through art history. Born from the sea, Venus stands amidst curling waves, an ancient motif symbolizing creation, transformation, and the subconscious. She has a theatrical mask in her hand. Consider Botticelli's Venus, similarly born of the sea. Here, however, Parkes introduces a mask, a potent symbol of duality, concealment, and the theatricality of human existence, reminding us of the ancient Greek theater where masks amplified emotions. This harks back to primordial rites, where masks blurred the line between the human and the divine, accessing deeper psychological truths. The act of wearing a mask speaks to our collective human experience, a dance between persona and true self. It echoes through ancient rituals, carnival celebrations, and even modern-day psychotherapy, where we explore the masks we wear and the faces we hide. The recurrence of Venus and the mask in art transcends time, embodying the eternal human drama of love, identity, and transformation.