Perseus & Medusa

This painting, Perseus & Medusa, is inspired by Caravaggio’s Medusa, particularly its "visceral realism" and the moment of suspended violence captured at the instant of transformation. While Caravaggio presents Medusa isolated—her terror frozen in the moment of death—I chose to expand the narrative by introducing Perseus into the scene.

Medusa isolated—her terror frozen in the moment of death.

Perseus is depicted holding a mirror, an object that functions both literally and symbolically. In myth, the mirror allows him to defeat Medusa without meeting her gaze; here, it becomes a space of reflection in which Medusa confronts her own image. Rather than portraying her solely as a monster, I was interested in exploring her awareness at the moment she is seen—by Perseus, by herself, and by the viewer.

Perseus observes Medusa indirectly and calm.

By including Perseus, the painting shifts from a singular expression of horror to a dialogue between figures. The mirror creates a triangular relationship: Perseus observes Medusa indirectly, Medusa sees herself, and the viewer witnesses both perspectives at once. This tension questions themes of power, perception, and responsibility—who is truly looking, and who is being judged.

The painting invites the viewer to reflect on the act of seeing itself: as protection, as violence, and as self-recognition.

In Perseus & Medusa, the influence of visceral realism emerges through an exploration of human conflict and psychological tension rather than a literal retelling of myth. Visceral realism, in this context, is not concerned with faithfully reproducing reality, but with revealing the emotional and existential complexity beneath it. The scene represents a momentary disconnection from conventional reality—an instant suspended between action and awareness—where fear, power, and self-recognition coexist.

This deliberate rupture allows for a deeper engagement with the inner states of the figures. Medusa’s reflection becomes a psychological encounter rather than a purely physical defeat, while Perseus’s indirect gaze suggests distance, hesitation, and moral ambiguity. Through this lens, the painting invites the viewer to move beyond surface realism and confront the emotional weight of the myth as a human experience, rooted in vulnerability, perception, and the consequences of seeing.