With the blessings and gifts he received from the gods, Perseus walked decisively into the Gorgons’ cave, willing to fulfill his promise and bring the head of one of these creatures as a wedding gift to Hippodamia, Queen of Pisa. Before entering into the dark pit, he recalled the story of the three sisters, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, deities of the sea. Two were born as hideous beings, while the third, Medusa, was a beautiful maiden who was cursed to become a fearful monster. Her long tresses became poisonous snakes and those who dared to look at her in the eye would turn into stone.
Being a great hero, the Gods bestowed on him weapons and artifacts with great powers to succeed in his quest. Carrying all these gifts, he approached the place where the Gorgon was sleeping and cut her head off with one fierce swipe of his sword. As the head, dripping with blood, fell to the floor, two creatures emerged from the headless body, a gorgeous winged horse called Pegasus, and his brother, the giant Chrysaor. When the sisters saw the lifeless body of Medusa they tried to capture the perpetrator; but Perseus, wearing a helmet given by Hades, became invisible so the furious monsters would not seize him. With the head of the Gorgon in his keep, Perseus journeyed on and used the deadly powers of Medusa to his advantage.
Medusa is one of the most famous creatures in classical mythology, and unlike her sisters Stheno and Euryale (who are barely mentioned in the different myths), she’s the only one with a destructive power. Even dead, her head can still turn people into stone, making her a symbol of protection and fear. Anthropologists, historians, literature specialists, sociologists, even psychologists have interpreted this mysterious character under many perspectives. In some stories and ancient beliefs, Medusa was the representation of female creativity, wisdom, power, and rage. For modern interpretations, the Gorgon stands for that intense and alluring female sexuality, capable of destroying any man in seconds.
According to Page DuBois, Medusa is the embodiment of women’s subversiveness. Her power is so overwhelming that it strikes fear in the hearts of men, so she is treacherously killed in her sleep.
Medusa holds a special place in our collective imagination, not as the creature defeated by the hero, but as a fearsome and strong creature, capable of annihilating those who dared cross her path.
In that same way, Missjaws’ illustrations show fierce, surreal characters with monster features in mythological situations. Her unique style fuses bright colors, cartoonish strokes, and grotesque themes, reminding us of that intimidating yet intriguing nature of the famous Gorgon. In other words, no matter how disturbing they are, we feel the need to look at them, just as many of Medusa’s victims, who couldn’t resist the temptation, even when they knew the consequences.
***
There is no doubt that nowadays many artistic trends and latest innovations are happening in the digital era. Every day new illustrators are making a name through unique styles that show our current realities. For instance, take a look at this artist who captures our basic animalistic instincts, or these female illustrators who are shattering NSFW censorship on social media.
***
For more images visit the artist’s Instagram account or her official website:
@themissjaws
Miss Jaws***
Source:
Ancients
Ancient History Encyclopedia
Tate
