Greek female figures from ancient mythology have provided inspiration to artists over the centuries. The talk will update the paradigm of the female heroine, one whose plight has been mainly associated with the patriarchal milieu to one that is now being re-visited and updated by female artists and female identifying artists.
Ariadne, Medusa, Medea, Antigone: the list of ancient Greek heroines is endless. How have these classical figures provided inspiration to artists over the centuries and why are they attracting attention by contemporary artists? This talk will consider how artists, are recontextualising and updating the plight of women heroines. Examining recent works from female and female identifying artists, the talk will expand on how they are being re-contextualised in the contemporary milieu, one that necessarily addresses aspects of feminist, post-feminist, queer and migratory issues.
