After My Own Heart: Medusa Art by Nancy Farmer

For years now I have been a cyber hunter and gatherer of Medusa art. What started out seven years ago as a quest for tattoo inspiration has turned into a kind of compulsion to view the different ways Medusa is portrayed in popular culture and the arts. Seven years ago I had a hard time finding empowering portrayals of Medusa. She was typically shown post-decapitation, her severed head held up by the "hero" Perseus, her face stricken in surprised terror.

Even before I knew anything about the Medusa myth, these images made me extremely sad. What does it say about how this culture thinks about women that we celebrate the gruesome murder of this woman, who herself was a victim and a play-thing of the gods? There she was, minding her own business, when she's raped by the sea god Poseidon. And then Athena gets all crazy pissed and turns the beautiful Medusa into a monster. But what do we focus on? The nerve of some silly little woman having too much power over men. Women are supposed to be weak, docile, and available for the sexual pleasure of any man (or god) when it strikes their fancy. And here is this woman - this "monster" - daring to stop men in their tracks? Off with her head!

Now that is some woman hating that Andrea Dworkin could really have a field day with.

But I digress. The point is that Medusa just couldn't catch a break. First the rape, then the snakes, then the decapitation, and lastly the centuries of art depicting her as a grotesque monster and glorifying her murder.

The first empowering images of Medusa I found were on the cover of two wonderful books, Angry Women and Angry Women in Rock. Here she is, looking powerful wrapped in the serpents of her passion. She stares directly at the viewer, her eyes transfixing in their intensity. Her glance forces the viewer to look inward at their own rage and passion. What they find can turn them to stone or set them free.



Recently Medusa has blossomed in popular culture. Now we have a Medusa's Night Club, a Medusa piercing, Medusa wine, and a Medusa ride at 6 Flags, just to name a few. My girl Medusa has also emerged full-bodied and independent in feminist and fantasy art.

Recently, while doing a "Medusa" search in Etsy, I stumbled upon an amazing artist who has a series of Medusa art. Nancy Farmer depicts Medusa as a "regular" woman with the pesky problem of having snakes for hair and trying to figure out how to get some without turning the men to stone. Her Medusa paintings are at once hilarious and depressing as she tackles the daily life of Medusa most of us would never consider.

What, for example, to do with her hair?

Here she is shown trying to blow-dry the tangled webs of snakes. As they hiss and writhe at the heat, Medusa smiles slyly as if she enjoys this little game. I would bet that Medusa gets awfully bored and welcomes a little challenge.

And how does Medusa make a living?

As a dominatrix, of course! I am really in love with this painting. I think it's that the men are cowering in fear despite having a thick leather mask covering their eyes.


My favorite pieces, however, are these two that are a little twisted, a little titillating, and shine with dry humor.

This first one is brilliant. What would Medusa do with all those stone statues of men that must be simply littering her garden? I can think of no better use than this.

This last one, Medusa and Oedipus, is probably my favorite. Medusa finally gets a man she doesn't turn to stone! Dear old Oedipus gouged his eyes out, anyway, so he seems to be the perfect match. What I love about this piece is how completely, obliviously happy Medusa is. She holds Oedipus in her arms like a 5 year old might hold a kitten. The bumbling old fool seems helpless to do anything but resign himself to his fate of being Medusa's new plaything.

Nancy Farmer has several other Medusa paintings, all of which are equally as amazing as these. Check out all her work and buy a print at http://www.nancyfarmer.net/

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Check out my other Medusa posts:

http://risemedusa.blogspot.com/2009/06/whats-up-with-medusa.html

http://risemedusa.blogspot.com/2009/06/rise-medusa.html