Weightless 2020

Rose Freymuth-Frazier’s painting presents us with a pale horse adorned with dark roses and blue butterflies. These symbols carry a heavy cultural weight. The horse, for centuries, has been a symbol of strength and nobility. Yet here, its head hangs low, weighed down by thorny, dark roses, which traditionally signify sorrow, mourning, and death. The butterflies, flitting around the horse, offer a contrasting symbol of transformation and the ephemeral nature of life. Butterflies have long been associated with the soul, emerging from the cocoon, much like the spirit leaving the body. Consider how the juxtaposition of the horse and the butterflies, connected by the morbid roses, creates a visual paradox. It reminds me of the vanitas tradition, where symbols of mortality are combined with those of beauty and vitality. This contrast engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level, evoking a sense of melancholy and the transient nature of beauty. It reveals how these symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings across different eras.