Victory (Earth Mother). 1990.
Polychromed and gilded plaster, height 18" with base - Collection of
the artist
| Civic art is important to Audrey Flack, and she has designed
several works that have not yet been commissioned such as this work. In Victory (Earth
Mother), the figure is a maternal metaphor for the earth. She holds
a globe in her hands, but is weighed down by many burdens as she struggles
to rise up from her platform (Gouma-Peterson 121).
To me, this figure represents a desire for myth and otherworldliness in all women. We are drawn to mysticism and have powerful minds, but are held back by necessities of life and earth such as food and work, as well as atrocities of man such as war. This is shown on Earth Mother as animals, machinery, a soldier, and other metaphors holding the figure down. |