Sulis Minerva - Contemporary Goddess

Bronze, lycra, steel chain, aluminium and digital printing - H65 x W18 x D39cm Or H70 x W18 x D39cm

  • in her rescue orange swimming cap, standing on a pontoon in the middle of the water, the full length of her body in a joyous stretch, captures this embodied freedom. This image has been merged with the ancient diety of Sulis Minerva who’s red tinged thermal waters had the power to heal. Ancient Celtic and Roman visitors to Sulis Minerva’s sacred springs left behind lead curse tablets. These personal messages were addressed to the goddess, asking Sulis Minerva to enact curses on those who had stolen from them to compel the return of stolen goods . Contemporary goddess Sulis Minerva subverts the meaning of traditional female figurative sculpture. She commands attention in her rescue orange cap much like a public sculpture donned with an orange traffic cone. She is fully present in her body, casting off the shackles of the patriarchy. Women in my life; old, young and in between, shared with me what living in a patriarchal society has stolen from their experience of living full lives in a female body. “Curse tablets” attached to the chains reveal what has been stolen. In the act of casting off these chains Contemporary goddess Sulis Minerva steaks her claim on these lost goods, mental space, physical safety, time, her attention, her privacy and her hairy legs.

Sculpture of a black female figure with a red head covering, standing on a rocky base, reaching up to hold hanging chains and paper-like objects.
A dark sculpture of a woman with a red mask standing on a rocky base, holding chains with metal plates hanging from them.
Sculpture of a black dog with a red collar, chained and surrounded by metal tags, standing on a textured base.
Sculpture of a black human figure with a red hood, wrapped in black chains with black metal plaques containing text, set against a white background.
A black sculpture of a woman holding chains with handwritten notes hanging from them, wearing a red head covering.
Black chains with handwritten notes attached to a dark artistic sculpture.

Sulis Minerva

Bronze - H70 x W18 x D39cm

Sulis Minerva began with one of my early morning swims in the Derwent, watching my friend climb up onto a pontoon and stretch up her body before diving back into the water. She looked so powerful and centred in her body. I’ve represented her with a classical Gorgan head and hairstyle of Sulis Minerva, an ancient goddess of healing waters.

A black statue of a nude woman with arms raised high above her head, standing on a textured base, against a plain white background.
Bronze sculpture of a nude woman standing on a rocky base with arms raised above her head against a plain white background.
A black statue of a woman standing on a rocky base, with her arms extended upward and head tilted back.
Bronze statue of a nude woman with arms raised above her head, standing on a rocky base against a plain white background.
Black sculpture of a woman with arms raised, looking upward, against a white background.
Close-up of a dark bronze sculpture of a person's legs standing on a textured base against a plain white background.