Mr. Icarus, I presume 

"Mr. Icarus, I presume" is a print made by Walter Battiss, a South African artist whose work often engaged with themes of identity and cultural hybridity during the apartheid era. Battiss was deeply interested in the intersection of ancient mythologies and contemporary experience. In this work, he mischievously reinterprets the classical myth of Icarus. Look at the upright, stylized figure and the tumbling blue figure, together, they invite questions about gender, sexuality, and power. Battiss challenges conventional representations by blending the classical with his unique personal symbols, perhaps inviting us to reconsider the boundaries of identity. Battiss’ art offers an alternative to the dominant narratives of his time. It provides a space to explore the fluidity of identity, personal freedom, and the emotional realities that shape our understanding of ourselves and each other.