What do you think of this painting?

[Kyriakos]

It is by a local female artist (Sylvia Antoniadi), of likely around my own age. I regard it as a very powerful work, moreso due to the symbols of the circus ring in flames, and the lion. The audience is striking as well

I think the words are the latin salutation by the gladiators, but specific to emperor Commodus?

Ie the circus just reached the flames of madness it was built to host in the first place, and now is the time to reveal what it is about ^^

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Depressing stuff. Don't you like anything that's cheerful?

 

[bhavv]

I think of a lion getting dinner and sport. What a lovely positive message.

 

[Kyriakos]

Depressing stuff. Don't you like anything that's cheerful?

Ze Fire Mandala is ein powerfel symbel.

Circus just reached Commodus level, as it was designed to for some time now.

 

[Borachio]

Plainly the lion is the ECB attempting to devour poor blue-haired Greece.

A Greece moreover that is actively seeking to restrain the forces of the far right - symbolized by the hand with the gun. And the far left agrarian block - symbolized by the pitchfork.

Plucky Greece!

 

[Kyriakos]

^





What i noticed a bit later is that the misspelt version (intentionally i am sure) of Caesar Caesarum is likely to allude to the phrases being an ad, and the painting a poster you see of the circus show (which may be titled then 'Ave Imperator Commode'), by a Cesar Cesarum.

Pretty neat trick there

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

What is wrong with her arms?

 

[NovaKart]

Where I come from, commode is another word for toilet so it sounded a bit funny to me.

 

[warpus]

I am not sure what sort of symbolism this is trying to express, but all I see is a bloody teet.

 

[Kyriakos]

What is wrong with her arms?

She is either nearing or holding back two other hands which carry weapons so as to attack the lion.

I suppose this means that she wants to be sure she won't die, but not kill the lion if it is not absolutely needed either (?).

I am not sure what sort of symbolism this is trying to express, but all I see is a bloody teet.

The painter herself told me that the image is tied to a short story by a 1940s greek surrealist, where a girl in a french circus has a love relationship with a lion.

I blame France

 

[warpus]

A.. sexual relationship with a lion? Well, that explains the bloody teet.

 

[Kyriakos]

^Yes. The sub-title of the story is 'The secret of Pasiphae', and Pasiphae was the wife of King Minos, and mother of the Minotaur.

The main character is not called Pasiphae, but i suppose she views herself as related to some bestial secret, etc. May read the story although i never liked the writer

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Don't care much for the scenery, but the lion is impressive. The unconventional style heightens the traditional image of power, while replacing the traditional grace with something particular eery and threatening. Something Chinese-dragon-like to it. Or sexual, I guess...

 

[Borachio]

Fourth from the left on the front row: Putin.