Siren: Reinterpreting the Temptress Song

Overview 

Beginning in ancient Greece and up through the modern era, poets and painters have portrayed seemingly guileless, chimeric creatures with enchanting voices that unfortunately forebode destruction.  First mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, these hallucinatory beings were heard offstage, leaving their physical characteristics to be imagined by the reader.  Later they were described as part human and part bird –and capable of playing string instruments such as the lyre.  These initial descriptions envisioned sirens of both sexes but by the Middle Ages, sirens were depicted solely as female and their hybrid natures more complex to include human heads and torsos combined with wings, claws and fishtails.  

Increasingly, particularly in Christian iconography, sirens were seen as a symbol of irresistible temptation leading to man’s downfall and death.  In the 17th century, the age of exploration, sirens were situated on exotic islands steep with rocky cliffs and lashed by high seas.  Her appearance changed to that of a woman fish,  mermaid-like, an evolution that  her favored prey were unsuspecting mariners who Leonardo da Vinci wrote,  would be first lulled to sleep by the siren’s sweet song and then murdered by them.  

In modern times, sirens lost their fish tails and were depicted as fully human; their fabled songs, whilst still spellbinding, simply detained travelers and made them forget their native lands—rather than lure them to a certain death.  Divested of their murderous reputations, sirens were at worst talented courtesans with questionable morals.  The curators of Siren: Reinterpreting the Temptress Song propose to continue this rehabilitation and evolution of the siren and suggest that all along her song was indeed irresistible –but her enchantment did not cause misfortune rather it was meant to be an impossible-to-ignore warning sign of grounding shoals and capsizing squalls.  Her songs inviting respite and temporary forgetfulness can too be viewed as a salve—a psychological waystation to regroup before taking up one’s duties and travels with renewed vigor.   

One imagines that in our present time the siren’s song grows ever louder –like an incessant gale wind. She panics.  The siren’s exotic locales have all but disappeared, her beloved seas choked with the detritus of a wasteful and selfish culture that celebrates greed and injustice.   We push ourselves and others to exhaustion ---happiness a forever out of reach destination informed by a thousand self-righteous demands and entitlements while she serenades us to stay and quiet. Lastly, we fight about everything,  each party insisting the other is in the wrong.  “Hush” the siren sings. Rest your weary head and let things be.  

How to Participate 

Please apply through the link here.

The exhibition will feature a range of artworks curated by jury selection and by invitation. 

1. Submissions comprise three artworks per entry and a short (two to three paragraph) bio and artist’s statement. Please include complete caption information, noting the title, size, media, and date of production of each artwork. Submissions may be of paintings, drawings, mixed media works, prints, photographs, or sculpture. Submitted artworks may not exceed 40 inches in any dimension (including frame).  Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.  

2. Applying is free for Equity Members and $25 for non-members

3. Artists wishing to exhibit digitally based works must provide, set up, and be prepared to service their own equipment including computers, monitors, cables and projection devices.  

4. Entries must include current contact information (email, home or cell phone number, and postal/shipping address). 

5. Deadline for entries is May 12th, 2023.  Artists chosen for the exhibition will be notified on or about May 26th. 

6. Artists residing outside the city are invited to apply. However, the shipping of any work is the sole responsibility of the artist, both to and from the gallery.  Insurance against theft and damage is likewise the sole responsibility of the artist.

7. To be included in the exhibition, works must arrive at the gallery on or before June 12th. 

8. Local drop-off and pick-up dates, along with other important details and updates, will be provided to artists whose works are chosen for the exhibition.

Additional Contractual Obligations for Participating Artists

1. Participating artists must agree to adhere to the deadlines and show dates noted in this prospectus. Accepted works must remain on site for the duration of the exhibition.  

1. During the exhibition’s run and for three months after the closing date, Equity Gallery shall retain a 50% sale commission of the final retail price of all exhibited works. 

For further clarification or questions email Michael Gormley, Executive Director, NYAE at michael@nyartistsequity.org