Background Noise 

Sarah Joncas created this painting, Background Noise, featuring a sleeping woman and a white snake. The snake, a powerful symbol, weaves through cultures as both a symbol of healing and venomous temptation. From the serpent in the Garden of Eden, to Asclepius's staff, the snake embodies a duality of life and death, knowledge and deceit. Here, the white snake rests calmly against the woman’s neck. This juxtaposition recalls ancient myths of transformation and awakening. The act of sleep itself is a descent into the subconscious, a landscape where the symbolic language of dreams reigns. Joncas taps into this collective memory, reminding us of the snake’s ancient role. The gentle pose of the figure, embraced by the serpent, suggests a dream state where the boundaries between danger and serenity blur. The image echoes motifs found across time, revealing the non-linear, cyclical journey of symbols. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, engaging us on a deep, subconscious level.