Far Removed 

Sarah Joncas’s painting presents a modern figure adorned with a tattoo, a winged bird. Here, it may symbolize freedom, the soul, or a messenger between worlds. The bird as a symbol is an ancient motif, found in the Egyptian depictions of the soul as a bird-like form, and the Greek myths of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, often depicted with winged sandals. Notice how the bird is permanently etched onto the woman's skin; it transforms the body itself into a canvas, marking a deeply felt connection to the symbolic weight of the bird. This gesture echoes the ritualistic practices of many cultures, where body art serves as a permanent invocation of spiritual forces. Consider also the psychological impact of this imagery. The yearning for transcendence or escape, embodied by the bird, speaks to our collective subconscious desires. It is a recurring theme that continues to resurface in art, revealing our human aspirations to overcome earthly bounds.