CHARON (2024) Peinture par Otrebor

This piece is part of the Umbral collection, which explores states of post-life consciousness where we are confronted by our inner monsters. Once we leave the physical body, our fears, anxieties, anguish, guilt, and unresolved issues have nowhere left to hide, emerging fully exposed, like a skull without skin. The portraits in this collection tell these stories, inviting the viewer to confront their own demons.

Charon, although he appears to be a merciless figure, is a personification of inevitable fate, and his work of transporting souls across the River Styx is seen with an aura of melancholy and seriousness. The work suggests that the crossing is a necessary and natural process, but not all souls can complete it — some are left behind, stuck on the sidelines, as a reminder of the consequences of an unfulfilled destiny.

The spectral beings that wander eternally on the banks of the River Styx symbolize the anguish and suffering of those souls who are unable to reach their final rest, whether for lack of the coins necessary to pay for the crossing or because they are trapped by unresolved ties with the world of the living. .

Element Analysis
The Environment (Copper, Gold and Black):
The copper and gold colors suggest an old and worn light, representing the time that has passed for the souls that eternally wander in the underworld. Black, associated with darkness and death, dominates the scene, referring to sadness, mystery and the relentless forces that rule this place.
Underworld Visual: The work uses these smoky, dense tones to create an environment that appears to be in constant movement, as if the air itself is filled with memories and lamentations. This mix of colors reflects the duality of the underworld: a place of passage, but also of eternal wandering.
The River Styx and the Hills:
Mythological Representation: The River Styx, considered one of the main barriers between the world of the living and that of the dead, is represented at the center of the work as a vast and impassable expanse. The hills that flank the river are inhabited by spectral beings, diffuse figures without a clear shape, symbolizing lost souls, who were condemned to wander aimlessly. These spectral figures reinforce the notion of an eternity without rest, with souls trapped between life and death.
Soul Symbolism: These spectral beings reflect the dark fate of souls who, without proper burial or the coins to pay Charon, are doomed to wander along the riverbank, unable to cross to the other side.
Charon (or Carante): Central Figure: At the center of the work, Charon is the main element, portrayed in a dark way, with striking black lines. His hooded, faceless figure is a symbol of the anonymity and neutrality of death; he does not choose, he only leads souls to their final destination. Charon, who serves as the boatman of souls in Greek myth, is represented here with a mysterious and imposing appearance.
The Boat: Charon is in command of a simple boat, outlined in the same striking features that form his figure. The boat is the symbol of transition between the world of the living and that of the dead, a vehicle for the crossing of the soul, reinforcing the idea of ​​passage and inevitable destiny.
Striking Black Features:
Technique: The black lines that outline both Charon and the boat convey a dark feeling. This choice of style symbolizes the inflexible character of death and final destiny, with Charon being a character in the story. The lines also give the work a feeling of hardness and seriousness, highlighting the dark and charged atmosphere of the underworld.

Thèmes connexes

CharonDarkMelancholyEmotionsAcrylic