The Sun 2020

Zoe Hawk's painting presents a girl crowned with a radiant sun, standing in what seems to be a bright stage bathed in daylight. The sun, from antiquity to modernity, symbolizes life, energy, and enlightenment, often associated with deities and rulers. Consider the halo, an echo of solar symbolism, gracing saints and divine figures across cultures. This radiant motif has been used in ancient Egyptian art depicting gods like Ra and reappears in the Christian West with the Virgin Mary; both figures are icons of power, divinity, and purity. The girl's attire—an immaculate white blouse and a sun-colored dress—suggests innocence and a sense of burgeoning self-awareness. The image evokes a psychological resonance, tapping into our collective memory of light as a harbinger of hope and renewal. This is a symbol that continuously resurfaces, evolving and adapting in meaning through different epochs. It embodies our timeless quest for understanding and the powerful influence of symbols across human culture.