Daphne

Among all the myths of classical antiquity, Daphne remains one of the most powerful metaphors for the struggle for self-determination. In this painting, I portray Daphne in the suspended moment before her metamorphosis, when identity resists domination: though her body is still human, the leaves in the background already remind the viewer of her upcoming destiny, and dark lines begin to emerge beneath her skin, foreshadowing the bark that will soon envelop her. As in my previous works, the human body becomes a space where inner experience takes visible form, carrying the traces of invisible conflicts.