The Wedlock Series: Thalassa - Waiting to Set Sail (the ties that bind her) 

Kerry O. Furlani’s 'The Wedlock Series: Thalassa - Waiting to Set Sail (the ties that bind her)' presents a compelling interplay of form and metaphor. Created on what appears to be a slate relief, it invites immediate attention through its earthy materiality and tactile presence. The composition is striking: a recumbent female figure intertwines with the abstract shapes of a sailing ship, all rendered in shallow relief. The figure's curves and the ship's sharp angles create a dynamic tension, suggesting a struggle between constraint and freedom. The use of line is particularly effective in delineating the rigging, which appears to bind the woman, reinforcing the theme of confinement. This merging of human form and nautical imagery speaks to broader structuralist themes of opposition and duality. The ship, traditionally a symbol of exploration and escape, is here inextricably linked to the figure, hinting at the complex ties that bind us to societal expectations. It is through this interplay of form and symbolism that Furlani invites us to question the nature of these bonds and their impact on individual agency.