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This is a response to the biennale's theme of "Light and Darkness." Venus/Goddess in the center holds an apple in one hand, behind which hides a snake ready to strike. The apple is intended for the woman on the left, who is surrounded by birds reminiscent of the works of Hieronymus Bosch. She also holds a dead rooster as a warning against transience and sensual temptations. She is surrounded by red, but she is beautiful and young. The pomegranate in her other hand is intended for the blessed woman who is expecting a child. The pomegranate symbolizes fertility and life, royalty and divinity. The pomegranate she holds in her hands and gazes at lovingly is like a seed, a symbol of new life, and there is a halo of light around her head. The end of Venus's sash around her is more yellow, luminous. The recesses visible in the background on the left and right sides of the painting refer to Van Eyck's "Madonna of Lucca," which speaks of the divine presence in everyday life and the interpenetration of the sacred and the profane.

 

"Venus at the Gates of Destiny"
Total dimensions 166x273 cm, oil, metal slag, own technique, canvas