ACTEON (the hunter) 1998, bronze, 39"h x16"w x32"w

private collection

The bronze sculpture Acteon (ak te’ on) is based on the story of the great hunter of classic mythology who angered the goddess Artemis when he and his fellow hunters came upon her bathing with her nymphs at the river’s edge and stayed to watch. When Artemis discovered the un-wanted on lookers she uses her powers to change the unsuspecting Acteon onto a stag, and as he ran off he was unfortunately devoured by his own hunting dogs.

The sculpture is presented in the form of "trophy head" which is an obvious reference to the hunting aspects of the story, but it also is an a parody on the prevalence of taxidermy as a kind of local "folk sculpture" of the Adirondacks Mountains of NY State, the rural area where I currently live. Acteon’s unusual pointed hat is the pivotal element in the piece. It is presented simultaneously as a party hat and a dunce cap and is a play on the duality of his "mistake" and acknowledges our struggle with universal human emotions that can sometimes lead us wayward.

 

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