“Chrysalis”
Project details
- Year
- 2024
- Programme
- Bachelor – Illustration
- Practices
- Social Practices
- Minor
- Cultural Diversity
“Chrysalis” is a modern retelling of the ancient Roman myth of Psyche and Cupid. The work is a series of seven canvases made of layered paper.
My retelling focuses on the metamorphosis of Psyche from a mortal woman to Goddess of the Soul and the profound effect her transformation has on the two Gods: Cupid and Venus. “Chrysalis” is portrayed through use of colours and insect references carrying symbolic meanings about the characters and events as the story unfolds. The visuals reflect the popular myth, but the story is adapted in a way that captures the idea of the emotional and spiritual journey of its protagonists.
Canvas One: Venus covers Cupid’s eyes over his mask and tells him to shoot the cocoon with his bow and arrow. Inside the cocoon rests Psyche, surrounded by blooming nature and worshippers dancing around her.
Canvas Two: The masked Cupid cries and holds out broken pieces of the cocoon to Psyche who sits in front of him. She caresses his cheek. Nearby them, the torn cocoon hangs pierced by Cupid’s arrow. Flecks of purple appear of Psyche’s white body.
Canvas Three: Distraught Psyche holds Cupid’s mask in her hand, reaching out to Cupid in the sky. Above her, Cupid flies away in a swirl of Venus’s bees, covering his face and betrayed at Psyche revealing his identity. As he flies, one of his arrows falls to the ground. Blue specks appear on Psyche’s body.
Canvas Four: Psyche climbs a mountain of arrows, reaching for one of Cupid’s fallen arrows. Around her are more mountains of different coloured arrows. Her body is dusted with light pink specs. At the corners of the canvas rest a purple moth and a gold and purple bee, the insect forms of Cupid (moth) and Venus (bee) watching over Psyche’s journey. This canvas retells Psyche’s first trial sorting grains and seeds.
Canvas Five: Psyche sits by a honeycomb struck with Cupid’s arrow, it pours out golden honey. Above her are Venus’s bees flying around and the half bee, half God face of Venus watching from above. Psyche’s body now has yellow specs. Cupid as a moth rests nearby watching. This canvas retells Psyche’s second trial where she had to retrieve golden wool.
Canvas Six: Psyche sits by the water, reaching in for a drowning arrow of Cupid. Her body covered in green specs. Around her are Cupid and Venus in their insect forms. This canvas retells Psyche’s third and fourth trials of the underworld for water from Styx and a jar of Persephone’s beauty.
Canvas Seven: Psyche stands with her back turned, giant pink, yellow and purple wings sprouted from her body. She has become the Goddess of the Soul, completing her transformation from cocoon to butterfly. By her sides are Venus and Cupid in embrace. This symbolizes their reunion and mutual growth. Psyche’s wings are mirrors, inviting viewers to view themselves reflected in Psyche. The three characters together create the full butterfly wings.