This post is very much overdo and has been sitting in the “draft” stages for longer than I can remember simply becuase I have not known how to introduce it. It seems that I have found my introduction in the form of an apology for the delay and a thank you to my volunteers.

Some back story…

While traveling in 2009 I came across a few paintings depicting the Greek mythology of The Judgment of Paris. I was captivated by the  idea and concocted an idea to create my own modern interpretation of the scene.  The idea floated around in my mind for a few months until it was brought to life in September 2009 with the help of some friends.

I decided to represent each Goddess as “updated classics”: the Goddess of War Athena wears a standard issue military cap instead of a gilded helmet, as the Goddess of war and wisdom her accouterments are:  classic books, a beanie baby owl, and an AK47 airsoft gun. Hera, the wife of Zeus wears the pointed diadem which marks her stature, she holds a peacock fan as peacocks were connected to her as were pomegranates for fertility–a bottle of POM juice is an updated take on fruit. Aprodite, the sensual Goddess of love is laced up in a tight fighting corset, her luscious curls fall over her torso as she gazes into her mirror, a symobol of vanity. Her wrists are adorned by bracelets created by her legal husband, the God of the Forge.  Paris takes a secondary role to the Goddess and his main accessory is the coveted golden apple.

A few months later this idea of a simple reconstruction morphed into a new creation of its own. I submitted my photographs for an art conference in Philadelphia on the theme of Redemption. With the help of Athena Spencer, a bright and intelligent woman who I am proud to call my friend we crafted a proposal for my work.

(excerpt follows)

“…It is my intention to demonstrate how women place themselves in a paradoxical situation, where they must raise themselves up as “goddesses,” confident in their appeal and prowess, but then sacrifice their self-worth into the hands of a mortal man, whose only qualification is beauty and youth. Therefore, the focus of the work was to place the goddesses as women vying for the approval of a male, and the “golden apple” he can give them as the metaphor of purchasing status and approval. The gifts that the goddesses’ of the myth offer Paris far outweigh the real value of the Golden Apple, which in and of  itself has no value to the goddess, but what the apple represents—the title of the most beautiful, the most worthy. The goddesses must redeem their own positions as goddesses, and “buy back” their honor, and their status…All of this is meant to illustrate the mythology, and modern mentality, that place women as objects to be judged by men. I have not offered any solutions, nor have I tried to change the attitude of the goddesses. It is my wish to show the reality of the myth, the judgment of women, in a way that echoes the old masters of classical mythology recreation..”

Unfortunately the amount of entries received succeeded the allocated positions for exhibits and I was unable to exhibit my work. I however, am thankful for the learning experience that this opportunity provided and I hope to submit my work in future exhibits and conferences. Thank you once again to everyone that helped bring this creation to life, my models and my editors

Models:
Athena- Staci Jackson
Hera- Jessica Cordova
Aphrodite- Angela Finley
Paris-  Daniel Foster

Editors:
Chief Editor- Athena Spencer
First Edit by- Janet Meddows

More images from the shoot can be seen here on my flikr.