Sea

This artwork belongs to the series “The Shadow of Odysseus,” in which I aim to explore the deeper messages of the Odyssey. Where does the Odyssey unfold? At sea. Why? The Trojan War resulted in the loss of lives—so many lives: warriors, civilians, women, and children. Buildings and infrastructure were destroyed. War, regrettably, always leaves a multitude of evils in its wake.

Odysseus is one of the key figures in this tragedy; fully aware of the havoc he has wrought, he wages an internal battle to reach his own soul and find peace. This, then, is likely the reason why all of Odysseus’s adventures take place at sea: he must wash away the evil he caused and undergo purification before he can reach Penelope—his soul.