The Snake Lady
Tattoo by Charlotte at Lovecraft Tattoos on January 29, 2020.
Charlotte had previously done a beautiful bee tattoo on my back. While I was siting for it I was looking at her wall of sketches and other artwork and amidst everything was this beautiful Medusa head. We began discussing her piece and the history of it going unused and unclaimed. It felt fitting in my mind that people would be drawn to and wanting a Medusa tattoo but were unable to commit to it.
The original myth of Medusa speak of her being the beautiful Gorgon sister, related to monsters but not one by birth. She was so beautiful that Poseidon wanted her for his own. He chased her and she hid in Athena's temple where he raped her on the alter of Athena. Athena, disgusted with her alter being defiled (and clearly not caring that a woman was just raped by her bother), cursed Medusa so that all who look on her would no longer see her beauty but would instead be turned to stone. Her beautiful hair turned to snakes and her captivating eyes turned into a deadly weapon.
The irony of being punished for being sexually assaulted is not lost on me and still continues to this day. Medusa became a symbol of power, of over coming and of deep seeded pain and torment. She deserved nothing that happened to her and yet lived out the end of her life as a mythical villain. She serves as a divine feminine archetype in my life, a symbol of the pain the world causes and the way it can transform us when we feel powerless. She reminds me that wether we're victimized or villainized we have power, a power people might not understand, a power people might fear, but power none the less.
If we're talking about female power we have to talk about the artists who created this tattoo, Charlotte. Charlotte is an amazing woman to talk to. She has a soulful depth and a quiet power that comes out in her vulnerability and honesty. She is unafraid to be herself, to share, to grow right in front of others. My time with her has always felt rejuvenating and reaffirming of the life I lead. I can think of no better tattoo for her to give me, then this beautiful symbol of feminine power.
Charlotte had previously done a beautiful bee tattoo on my back. While I was siting for it I was looking at her wall of sketches and other artwork and amidst everything was this beautiful Medusa head. We began discussing her piece and the history of it going unused and unclaimed. It felt fitting in my mind that people would be drawn to and wanting a Medusa tattoo but were unable to commit to it.
The original myth of Medusa speak of her being the beautiful Gorgon sister, related to monsters but not one by birth. She was so beautiful that Poseidon wanted her for his own. He chased her and she hid in Athena's temple where he raped her on the alter of Athena. Athena, disgusted with her alter being defiled (and clearly not caring that a woman was just raped by her bother), cursed Medusa so that all who look on her would no longer see her beauty but would instead be turned to stone. Her beautiful hair turned to snakes and her captivating eyes turned into a deadly weapon.
The irony of being punished for being sexually assaulted is not lost on me and still continues to this day. Medusa became a symbol of power, of over coming and of deep seeded pain and torment. She deserved nothing that happened to her and yet lived out the end of her life as a mythical villain. She serves as a divine feminine archetype in my life, a symbol of the pain the world causes and the way it can transform us when we feel powerless. She reminds me that wether we're victimized or villainized we have power, a power people might not understand, a power people might fear, but power none the less.
If we're talking about female power we have to talk about the artists who created this tattoo, Charlotte. Charlotte is an amazing woman to talk to. She has a soulful depth and a quiet power that comes out in her vulnerability and honesty. She is unafraid to be herself, to share, to grow right in front of others. My time with her has always felt rejuvenating and reaffirming of the life I lead. I can think of no better tattoo for her to give me, then this beautiful symbol of feminine power.