"Desert Mermaid" : Original Artwork by Karien Bredenkamp
"Desert Mermaid" : Mat Boards that Original and Limited Edition Prints get shipped in

"Desert Mermaid"

$35.00
Print Or Original?:Limited Edition Print
Quantity:
Only 9 units left

Prints: Limited edition of 10

About The Artwork:

"Desert Mermaid" is a striking piece of black and white art that blends surrealism with rich symbolism, inviting viewers to explore themes of resilience, transformation, and the balance between surrender and power. A woman, rooted upside down in the desert, stands in Tadasana, a posture of stability and presence. Cacti grow beside her, while her buried torso shares the space with underground roots. Her legs morph into a Venus flytrap, a flower both beautiful and predatory, with a ladder emerging from its center, where a man's silhouette stands. Three bees hover nearby, carrying droplets of water or honey, adding another layer of mystery and meaning to this whimsical black and white art piece.  

Cacti are symbols of endurance, self-sufficiency, and survival. Thriving in harsh conditions, they represent the ability to store resources and adapt to scarcity, mirroring the emotional and spiritual resilience needed to navigate life's challenges. In many cultures, cacti are associated with protection and perseverance, their sharp spines acting as defense mechanisms and reminders that growth often comes with struggle. In "Desert Mermaid," the presence of cacti suggests an ability to withstand adversity while drawing nourishment from within.  

The Venus flytrap is a paradox of allure and entrapment. Unlike most plants, it actively captures its prey, symbolizing agency and danger. It represents hidden power, the fine line between attraction and control, and the unseen forces that shape our fate. Here, the woman’s transformation into a Venus flytrap could signify a shift in power dynamics, reclaiming personal strength, or how beauty can mask underlying danger. The ladder emerging from its center suggests a path upward, but whether it leads to escape, enlightenment or something else is left to interpretation.  

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, is a foundational yoga posture that embodies balance, presence, and rootedness. In yoga philosophy, standing in Tadasana is a practice of awareness, connecting to the earth and the sky. However, in "Desert Mermaid," the pose is inverted and buried underground, creating an unsettling contrast between stability and entrapment. This inversion challenges traditional notions of grounding, perhaps suggesting a search for balance in unfamiliar or restrictive circumstances.  

Being buried carries deep symbolic weight, often linked to transformation, surrender, or even rebirth themes. Across cultures, burial rituals represent cycles of death and renewal, with the underground world serving as a place of incubation or transition. In mythology, the underworld is where heroes undergo trials before emerging changed. In "Desert Mermaid," the woman’s burial could symbolize an internal transformation, a gestation period before re-emerging, or the feeling of being trapped by external forces.  

Bees are potent symbols of community, diligence, and nourishment. They bridge the gap between labor and sweetness, working tirelessly to sustain life through pollination and honey-making. In mythology, bees are often messengers between worlds, associated with divine wisdom and the interconnectedness of life. The three bees in "Desert Mermaid" carrying water or honey suggest a gift of sustenance, a source of renewal, or the idea that life continues to thrive even in barren places through unseen support networks.  

Together, these elements form a layered and thought-provoking composition. The inversion of Tadasana disrupts expectations, challenging ideas of stability and growth. The Venus flytrap and ladder hint at entrapment and ascension, while the cacti remind us. The bees bring a sense of interconnectedness and nourishment, suggesting that even in isolation, support can arrive in unexpected ways. "Desert MeDesert Mermaidtates resilience, transformation, and the unseen forces that shape our evolution, drawing viewers into its enigmatic, symbolic world.

"He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves." ― Gabriel García Márquez

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