The Birth of Venus 2011

Editor: This is "The Birth of Venus" by Alexander Roitburd, painted in 2011 using oil and acrylic paint. The figure seems so vulnerable, even violated, with the axe in her back and, well… those strands coming out of her abdomen. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: The immediate discordance! We have this classical title evoking Botticelli’s celebration of beauty and new life, but the imagery is intensely unsettling, wouldn't you agree? What associations does Venus evoke for you? Editor: Well, love, beauty, femininity… that sort of thing. It’s practically the opposite of what I see here. Curator: Exactly! And look at how Roitburd dismantles these associations. The axe embedded in her back…axes historically represented power, often masculine power and sacrifice. Is it protection, a brutal assault, or something else entirely in this context? Consider the symbolism of the single eye-like object hovering above—almost as if it represents a piercing, detached gaze or perhaps the ‘evil eye’ itself? Editor: That’s… really disturbing when you put it that way. So the artist is subverting this idealized view of femininity? Curator: Precisely. Notice the cascading strands where one expects to see the womb. These strands are visually similar to umbelical cord but without a maternal element, evoking feelings of vulnerability. What feelings come to mind when observing Venus' facial expression? Editor: I guess…disgust? Dismay? She's clearly suffering. Curator: Indeed, all the mythological trappings of divine femininity are there and yet they seem undermined or poisoned by pain and violence, shifting the cultural memory and associations associated with Venus herself. Editor: I hadn't considered how he flips those classical symbols. That gives the piece a totally different weight. Thank you. Curator: A pleasure. There's always something new to unpack, especially when dealing with art that actively seeks to challenge our inherited notions of beauty and meaning.