Jacques Derrida's take on the Medusa is that she symbolizes the ugly monster that lies inside the self, the inner demons that we try so hard to hide and are afraid to face. It is only when we can look the Medusa in the eye that we can overcome it and see ourselves completely. We cannot do as Perseus did, and hide it away in a bag, taking it out and using it as a weapon occasionally. Much like Perseus hid away Medusa’s head, Theseus killed the Minotaur and left it rotting in the labyrinth, thus representing a corresponding concept. The Minotaur was a monster that was the consequence of a mistake; he is a symbol of sin, inner guilt and shame. He was hidden away and also used as a weapon of punishment, which represents a lurking and undeniably darker aspect of the self. The Medusa and the Minotaur are innocent characters, both punished for a mistake or offense that was not their own. Both are also powerful and dangerous, but lonely and sad at the same time.
I enjoyed working on this piece because it was so personal to me and my inner struggles. I drew it in fine graphite with ink pen line work, and then did the rest of the color and textures digitally in Photoshop. I wish all the detail could be seen better here!
