'If earth and sea and citadel of heaven perish, we shall be thrown into primeval chaos.'
The story of Phaethon, from Ovid's Metamorphoses, could be read as a metaphor for man’s self-deluded idea that humans can manipulate nature without consequence. I have found this story rich in equivalences and poetry about Climate Change.
Phaethon, a young person (Phaethon stands for all of Humanity: men and women), travels to the Palace of the Sun determined to find out if the sun god is in fact his father. Phoebus says he is. To prove it, he will give Phaethon anything he wants, swearing that he will grant Phaethon his wildest dream. The boy’s dream is to ride Phoebus’s sun chariot, a metaphor for the movement of the sun across the sky. Although his father warns him that no god save him (let alone a human) can control the horses and safely ride the chariot, Phaethon will not listen. His youthful arrogance allows him to believe he is as mighty as the god. As soon as Phaeton takes flight however, his excitement changes to abject fear. He realises that he is not able to control his father’s chariot. As the horses gallop wildly out of control, the earth suffers as the chariot draws nearer. Moisture evaporates, mountain and forest are burned, rivers dry up, and the oppressive heat confines Neptune to the sea. To prevent the entire planet from burning, Jupiter sends loose a thunderbolt that kills Phaethon.
Phaethon comes perilously close to destroying the earth but is killed before he can do so. I don't yet know if extinction (which would be the sixth mass extinction) is the fate of Mankind or if we can pull back. At this time, humanity's destiny is in the balance.
Here, I have focused on 3 moments in the story of Phaethon, that resonate with our current planetary plight (and they form part of a larger series on this subject). Each painting is 80cm diameter and Acrylic, stardust and fossil traces on Birch panel, with a small shadow gap, to suggest that they are floating in Space.
- 'P. stood, dazed with indecision, neither letting go the reins, nor having the strength to hold them.'
- 'No longer could P. bear the cinders and sparks that were flying through the air; enveloped in hot smoke and pitchy darkness, he did not know where he was, or whither he was going, but was swept along, according to the whim of his swift-footed team'.
- 'Fish swam down into the depths of their pools, and the dolphins did not dare to leap out into the air, arching their backs over the sea, as was their usual habit.'
This collection of paintings below is part of a larger ongoing series on this theme of Phaeton; further paintings are underway.
'P. stood, dazed with indecision, neither letting go the reins, nor having the strength to hold them.'
Acrylic, Fossil traces and Stardust on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |
Detail from 'P. stood, dazed with indecision, neither letting go the reins, nor having the strength to hold them.'
Acrylic, Fossil traces and Stardust on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |
'No longer could P. bear the cinders and sparks that were flying through the air; enveloped in hot smoke and pitchy darkness, he did not know where he was, or whither he was going, but was swept along, according to the whim of his swift-footed team'.
Acrylic, Stardust and Fossil traces on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |
Detail from 'No longer could P. bear the cinders and sparks that were flying through the air; enveloped in hot smoke and pitchy darkness, he did not know where he was, or whither he was going, but was swept along, according to the whim of his swift-footed team'.
Acrylic, Stardust and traces of Fossils on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |
'Fish swam down into the depths of their pools, and the dolphins did not dare to leap out into the air, arching their backs over the sea, as was their usual habit.'
Acrylic, Stardust, and Fossil traces on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |
Detail from 'Fish swam down into the depths of their pools, and the dolphins did not dare to leap out into the air, arching their backs over the sea, as was their usual habit.'
Acrylic, Stardust and Fossil traces on Birch wood panel 80cm diameter |