Janus
(Charcoal, 18”x 24”)
Second Place, Northwest Area Arts Council, “Heaven and Hell”, Woodstock, IL. Aug 2020
To me, mythology is idealism applied to a world that's less than perfect. With this in mind, I wanted to make a series that showed this dichotomy. The series begins with a mix of beauty and imperfection.
Who better to represent two opposites than Janus? Often depicted as a two faced god, with each head facing in an opposite direction, Janus represents the dichotomy of life and mythology. It is where we get the term "Janus-faced," representing two sharply contrasting aspects or characteristics. Many view the term, “Janus-faced”, as derogatory. But perhaps that negative connotation is a reflection of our desire to rid ourselves of the things that make us human.
Janus as a work attempts to merge the idea of dichotomous characteristics in life. Janus is strong, yet weak. Beautiful yet marred. Shy yet, brave. Unique, yet mundane. Dark, yet light.