Page 29 - endeavour-annfrossen

Anne Klontz

The Rebirth of Aphrodite

As the goddess of love, beauty and passion, Aphrodite is depicted in Greek
and Roman history as the reigning symbol of desire and sexuality. The myths
that relate to her reveal her existence to be that of arduous affairs rather than
monogamous harmony. Through contrasting images that are simultaneously
delicate and violent, Ann Frössén has created a contemporary portrayal of
Aphrodite in her work The Sea is Close and The Green Sea. If, as legends
suggest, Aphrodite was born forth from the foam of the sea, then what we
experience upon viewing these works is the precious point in which the
goddess begins to take form. She has reached the shore’s edge, yet she is
not entirely released from the grasp of the sea.

From Aphrodite de Milos to Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus to the
voluptuous Venus figures of Niki de Saint Phalle, Aphrodite has been the
dedicated muse of artists for centuries. Whether she is depicted through
sculpture or painting, Aphrodite is typically rendered in nude poses with
innocent expressions that conflict with her seductive powers. The curve of
her hips and the perkiness of her breasts are meant to express ultimate
beauty and ignite passion which Aphrodite cunningly uses to her benefit.
True to her origins, Aphrodite is like the sea, both deceptive and trustworthy.
It is this complex duality of nature, whether mythological, human or of the
Earth, that Ann Frössén magically unveils in The Sea is Close and The Green Sea.

As the waves expand and recede, one can glimpse Aphrodite’s regal appearance
and feminine form which surfaces across the works. The structured stills
breathe, move and pulsate with a heartbeat, yet it is our imagination that will
ultimately give the goddess life. Through this subjective physicality, Aphrodite
is reborn into the twenty-first century.

Havet är nära The Sea is Close, 2016, photographic collage, detail