Fragile Warrior
She has nothing left to prove
Artwork information
- oil on canvas
- 80 × 120 cm
- 2020
Possibilities
Vulnerability and strength
What she can carry
This work is part of a triptych of porcelain women. She may seem fragile, but she cannot be broken. Her porcelain is precisely where her strength lies. She deserves tenderness, but not condescension. She does not need to be made smaller. She wants to be treated with gentleness, but not claimed. Although she can carry more than she realises, she does not have to keep bearing what belongs to others. Let that weight drift away among the blossoms.
Deep blue
Her deep blue draws you in, offering both space and a sense of shelter. Like the sea, she may appear calm or rage wildly at the surface. Around her, pink blossoms drift by like memories.
The satin blouse
When my partner at the time and I had been together for one month, I organised a Chinese-themed evening, with Asian-inspired make-up as the finishing touch. The blouse was a gift from friends who had travelled to China. I wore it that evening, surrounded by the feeling of new love. Tiny points of light glimmer in her eyes, inspired by the ring we later bought while travelling together. A quiet reminder of what once was.
Two signs
A bull, my sign, adorns her cheek. Does it represent stubbornness, or perseverance? On her forehead, you see a ram, his symbol. They look at each other. Or perhaps just past one another?
What she fights for
She is fighting—you can feel it. What she is fighting for is known only to her and so many others. A fight to remain herself, to be allowed to take up space and to believe that she is good enough. Deep within her, something already knows. She has nothing left to prove.
Deep in her eyes
Do you dare to meet her deep-blue gaze in person? Let me know. Perhaps she will feel at home with you, for a while or forever.
