Bitter with the Swede

Mixed Media
2022
48″ x 36″

“Moon Maiden” is part of my New Mythology series and was created quickly, guided by the subconscious. The artwork captures a fragmented, almost lunar-like landscape with black-and-white tones and splashes of teal and orange that lend tension to the piece. The Goddess herself, adorned with a detailed, textural headdress, holds a hauntingly stoic expression. Her face merges the human and the otherworldly, as soft portraiture contrasts with sharp, geometric shapes, creating a sense of dissonance and reverence. The piece suggests a story or myth emerging from these layers, as if she is a deity reclaiming identity amid chaos. Leaving parts of the canvas open was a first for me, allowing archipelagos of space debris to form around the central figure.

This openness not only reflects the Moon’s vast surface but also gives a feeling of isolation, as if fragments of her story orbit something unseen. The decision was spontaneous yet intentional—once I named the piece Moon Maiden, I knew I wanted these spaces to stay unfilled, adding to the mystery and inviting viewers to interpret what might lie beyond. This approach—combining open space with subconscious imagery—has started influencing my other pieces. “Prometheus Trashed,” “One Small Step for a Turtle,” and “Sticky Yggdrasil” also share this theme of openness and fragmentation. Each work carries a message about technology and caution, showing the resilience in what’s left amidst the chaos. In my mythology, the gaps represent not only the myths themselves but also serve as a warning against our overreliance on technological progress, creating space for reflection on what we may be losing.