« 25-11-17 » (Minotaur) woodcut, unique print, 20×20 cm.
The Minotaur, a mythological creature half-man, half-bull, is often associated with themes of the labyrinth, confinement, bestial nature, and duality. Here, the figure is treated in a semi-abstract manner, suggested by the interlacing of sinuous, organic lines.
The dominant color (deep red/burgundy) can be associated with blood, passion, and anger, reinforcing the animalistic aspect or the suffering of the Minotaur. The lines, left in relief by the woodcut technique, create a hypnotic and rhythmic pattern.
The neutral and pastel tones (powder pink/beige) in the background of the image act as a soft contrast and suggest a raw space or material, perhaps the stone of the labyrinth walls.
In the case of this « Minotaur, » the square format, often used in my work, creates a visual tension between the stability of the frame and the fervor of the lines, reinforcing the idea of contained power or movement enclosed within its own space. Here, it reinforces the idea of the closed, inescapable space of the labyrinth (the maze is not read in a linear fashion).
