Mythological Figures
Among figures, references to the earliest mythological symbols of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, and Buddhism are common. Human bodies with animal heads and figures wearing authentic headdresses are inspired by Egyptian mythology, while figures with athletic bodies, curly hair and bushy beards are reminders of ancient Greek sculptures from Mount Olympus. Greek mythological figures like unicorns, centaurs, sirens, gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, human heroes such as Odysseus tied to the main mast of his ship, and Greek pillars are all scattered in Gürseler’s paintings. Buddhist mythology is represented with cross-legged figures. Mythological images are used directly as well as through other painters’ mythological drawings. Among Gürseler’s naked identical figures, the viewer may suddenly encounter a reference to Matisse’s pagan dance composition, or other famous visuals reflecting the collective unconscious.
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