In Reverence to the Feminine : Mary Graham | Andromeda Re-Imagined, No. 4

Andromeda Re-Imagined, No. 4, Mary Graham, 2019, Ink-jet print of original painting; Acrylic on panel, Not for sale

Artist Statement

Based in San Francisco | unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land

Mary Graham is a Philadelphia born interdisciplinary artist studying the notion of “the ancestors” as a conceptual and spiritual medium through which historical and introspective insight might be gained. Rooted in an African-American spiritual tradition, Graham’s work across the disciplines of painting, performance and installation begins with the veneration of her own lineage, expanding to encompass themes of generational love, collective human origin, and our relationship to the unknown.

Andromeda Re-Imagined, No. 4 

"Andromeda Re-Imagined" was a collaborative, interdisciplinary project helmed by Architect John Marx for Burning Man in 2019. The project sought to re-frame the myth of Andromeda to be one of female empowerment. Four paintings created by Graham re-told Andromeda’s tale: In the first painting, she is chained to a proverbial rock, not tormented by the gorgon but by inner demons. In the second and third, she confronts her demons, and it is her loved ones - not just Perseus - who come to her aid. Here in "No. 4" - the final painting - we see Andromeda returning to the stars having found healing, and her bliss.