"Medusa with The Head of Perseus" Statue

Introduction

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Dedicated in October 2020 as part of NYC Parks' "Art in the Parks" Program, this seven-foot-tall bronze sculpture depicts Medusa victoriously holding the head of a defenseless Perseus. This statue, aptly named "Medusa with the Head of Perseus," is located in Collect Pond Park in lower Manhattan, and was dedicated on October 13, 2020. This striking conversation piece will be on view to the public until April 30, 2021. The artist and sponsors hope to spark conversation and offer social commentary in regards to womanhood, power, and agency. The snake-haired woman, standing triumphantly as she gazes upon Manhattan, may seem to some to reinforce negative gendered views about women as they appear in Western culture, while others might find historical parallel to modern ideas of feminism.

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"Medusa with the Head of Perseus" by Luciano Garbati

Backstory and Context

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"Medusa with the Head of Perseus" is part of a public art project born from the mind of Argentine-Italian sculptor Luciano Garbati. Located in Collect Pond Park, the statue's location across from the New York County Criminal Court is no coincidence. Medusa stands triumphantly holding the head of the man who tried to attack her, facing the courthouse where the high profile Harvey Weinstein trial took place in early 2020. This statue, inspired by the recent #MeToo movements, features the mythical Medusa victoriously holding up the decapitated head of Perseus. Those familiar with the Greek myth will recognize that this is an inversion of the original tale. In this story, the monster wins against the man who came to slay her, thus to some the story might be interpreted as an act of reclaiming her own agency.

Not only does Garbati's work speak to the parallel 16th century iconic bronze sculpture "Perseus with the Head of Medusa" constructed by Benvenuto Cellini, it also speaks to the context given behind the Greek myth. Medusa's origins occur when a young maiden gets sexually assaulted in the temple of Athena by the Greek God Poseidon, and then is cursed by Athena to forever have a head of snakes and a gaze that turns any living being to stone. While traditional storytellers painted Medusa as a bloodthirsty monster, recent feminist reclamations of the story instead focus on Medusa's innocence, and her role as a tragic victim.

Works like this one executed by Garbati instead choose to view the classic villain in an empowering, uplifting way. Medusa is presented as the triumphant hero, reclaiming her identity and her agency over the men who took it from her, and staring directly into the face of any forces trying to do the same centuries later.

"Medusa with the Head of Perseus" will be on display until April 2021. This eye-catching piece of art is a featured work in the NYC Parks' "Art in the Parks" program, which aims to fund the creation and installation of temporary independent art projects throughout the five boroughs of New York. The public art program, which has been operating since 1967, has provided an opportunity for the public to view powerful and creative works of art such as this one.

Sources

MTHW Project, MWTH Project. October 13th 2020. Accessed November 9th 2020. https://www.mwthproject.com/oct-2020.

Public Art Map & Guide, NYC Gov Parks. Accessed November 9th 2020. nycgovparks.org.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Smithsonian Magazine, Oct 13 2020