She Always Finds Me

13 Mar

Written By Quinn

A well-dressed man stands on a piece of broken eggshell. In front of him, a newly-hatched giant white egg dominates the scene; tentacles rise upwards from inside the egg. The viewer is left with no doubt they belong to something monstrous and more powerful than the man. Sharp-edged mountains can be seen in the background, and heavy clouds wrap around the mountains and cover much of the almost-blackened sky. The man has his arms by his side, and his head is bowed in an entirely submissive posture.

She Always Finds Me informs us this isn’t the first time they’ve met. It’s a title that implies an awareness of an existing dynamic. In this instance, the awareness may centre around the power dynamic between the man and whatever the creature represents. Choosing to portray the creature as a female could indicate a balance of opposition in operation here. Dressed in a suit, the man appears to embody the epitome of social formality. She ain’t going to be wearing anything because she’s too primitive for any kind of clothing. He’s a land mammal, she’s a cephalopod, and neither can survive in the world of the other for very long. This is an image that alludes to seemingly incompatible elements.

Emerging from an egg on land, she, whoever ‘she’ may be, is most likely to represent an unwanted and disruptive emotional force. A force that emerges at a point in time when life is moving forward smoothly, especially in work-related matters or other stuff important in the earthly realms. ‘Tis a little odd the creature is on land; anything octopus-related is usually connected to water. But, we’re looking at surreal artwork, so it needs to appear anywhere the artist sees fit. If anything, it just adds to the interpretation. These types of creatures are often representative of deeply buried emotions which are nearly always a result of some long-standing issue in the family. I’m talking about shit that goes back many generations, not merely the stuff relevant to the here and now. It’s the stuff that all humans have to contend with, irrespective of position on the social hierarchy or technological advances.

Scandinavian folklore of the 13th Century wrote of the now-legendary Kraken. The Ancient Greeks told tales of Charybdis and Scylla, who lurked on either side of the Strait of Messina; Scylla was said to have twelve tentacle-like legs and a tail. More recent interpretations include Lovecraft’s Cthulhu. Mythic creatures of this kind came into existence for many reasons, some of which were perfectly understandable. The popularity of these myths, in whatever shape they take, shows us that we’re still in need of whatever message they teach. In the image, the presence of ‘she’ suggests something being out of place. Misplaced emotion, which threatens stability gained in the material world, is a likely culprit. The resignation shown in his stance suggests an acceptance of powerlessness as a man. This in itself isn’t problematic because we’re all at the mercy of the subconscious, and none of us can escape buried emotion for too long. It could be essential to note that the man doesn’t look in danger, and he certainly isn’t under attack.

The mountainous background could be symbolic of the difficulties that will need to be overcome to move forward. The tiny bit of sky available looks ominous and threatens a storm. Clouds can be symbolic of thought, usually, thoughts that lack clarity. Clouds also hold water, which could symbolise ideas triggering emotion. Thankfully, clouds are transient and can dissipate without producing rain. Interestingly, there are three ways this can happen; they can mix with drier air, air can sink into the cloud, or they’ll disappear with an increase in temperature. Air is often seen as a symbol of the mind and thought. From a symbolic standpoint, this could be read as drier air correlating to rational thought, thoughts overpowering the emotion, or emotions getting warmer to the point of passion or rage. However, the sky in the image looks like it’ll take a good storm to shift the atmosphere, and in daily life, this could imply tension leading to arguments.

It’s a symbolically rich image, and I love it. If the picture resonates strongly, it could imply a time when you must confront any obstacles to success and/or progress in the working life. It could also serve as a reminder that it doesn’t matter how civilised you think you are. There will always be that one emotion which renders you powerless. If you’re feeling deep and meaningful, it could signal a time of introspection on patterns that seem to repeat in your relationships. Or maybe powerful emotions are being repressed in favour of maintaining stability?

I’ve heard no stories of any of these mythological creatures being defeated. However, from memory, I do believe the Kraken can be lulled back to sleep with the right music.

Lana Tustich Gallery