Radka Bodzewicz 1991
The Birth of the Sun, 2023
Mixed media on linen canvas
120 x 80 cm
47 1/4 x 31 1/2 in
47 1/4 x 31 1/2 in
RBO 231
Copyright The Artist
The concept of the sun’s birth draws inspiration from an ancient myth: Nut gives birth to the god Re, who traverses under her body during the day. At sunset, he...
The concept of the sun’s birth draws inspiration from an ancient myth: Nut gives birth to the god Re, who traverses under her body during the day. At sunset, he consumes it and moves through her body during the night, only to be reborn in the morning. In terms of iconography, my inspiration comes from medieval illuminations depicting the gates of hell. All three paintings share a fascination with this symbol and its historical and contemporary ambiguities. At the same time, I aim for the subject itself to carry meaning without the need for elaborate explanations and to function as an archetype, resonating with people across time and space, regardless of age or nationality. Additionally, I keep exploring themes of cyclical nature and the representation of women and feminine motifs, not as a deliberate calculation, but as a reflection of my personal experiences, reading, and surroundings.