These figures are from a body of work titled Greeks in Florida. The basic premise of this series is to use characters from Greek mythology to explore the follies of human nature. The characters are placed into a modern and sometimes fantastical context. As in any Greek tragedy hubris takes center stage, yet here gods often fail to dispense retribution, falling victim instead.
In Leda, almighty Zeus takes on the form of a flamingo, but this time he underestimates his lover’s voracious appetite and is being suffocated by her passion. He is no longer all-powerful, just another item on an ever-expanding menu to be consumed. As the population of Florida keeps expanding with seemingly unchecked development and utter refusal to manage its resources this piece speaks to excess, overindulgence, and over-consumption. Leda loves Florida, but she is loving it to death.
In Midas we have a middle-aged man riding atop a cloud of oil. The oil spews out of a massive pipe between his legs. Although out of control and seemingly doomed he seems unconcerned about his predicament, instead he is mesmerized by the awesome power emanating from his loins. Drill baby, drill.
midas
porcelain, glaze • h 14" X w 11" X d 15" • 2012
Leda
porcelain, glaze • h 14" X w 13" X d 13" • 2011
ajax
porcelain, glaze, gold luster, decals • h 14" X w 11" X d 15" • 2013
