the Consequences of Falling

the Consequences of Falling

A long time ago, in what seems like another lifetime, I was a singer-songwriter. Though I am not actively doing music these days, I consider the visual art I work on now the same product of the same source as the songs and lyrics came from. In other words, the medium has changed but the same creative well still produces what it will. One particular song I wrote was sort of an homage/sequel to the Icarus myth, called Icarus Part II. For those not familiar with it, Icarus is often used as inspiration for art for centuries now - the story involves Icarus and his inventor father Daedalus escaping from the labyrinth on the isle of Crete by way of Daedalus' invention of man-made wings, constructed of feather and wax. Daedalus led the way on their perilous escape, advising his son to follow his flight path over the sea and not to fly too close to the sun, lest the heat melt the wax. Of course Icarus did just that, and fell to his death. He has been the poster child of hubris and brash, impetuous youth ever since.

My idea was to pick up the story after the fall. What if Icarus survived? What if he carried on from his fall, wiser for his journey and lesson learned?

I never recorded it but I also never forgot it. Since I started doing conceptual photography, it's been on the list of things to depict. The potential pitfalls of doing an image based on Icarus though are many, and rather obvious. In short, it has been done to death - usually involving grafting wings onto a shot of a model, falling from the heavens. I recently did an image based on the fall of Satan, so I wanted to hang up the wings for now, and not be so obtuse and literal with the interpretation. Also, if I adhered literally to the myth, Icarus fell into the sea, so that wound be - what - an underwater depiction complete with sea nymphs? No, better to be symbolic but not literal.

This was a rather instinctual piece in the end. Usually, once an idea forms, I then know what is needed more or less to complete it. This one started with a really nice pose of the model, and then the environment and the colors were worked on. The shape and flow of the grasses, the placement of the sky, the placement of the feathers, all that was built around the shape of the model. Gradually, Icarus came into it, but only subtly. It doesn't scream Icarus, and this is what I liked about it - there is space for open-ended interpretation. There is some mystery to it, even for me. Icarus' feathers are present, but these could be thoughts, hopes, prayers, either raining down on him or ascending from him.

Rather than giving it the title of my song, I decided to keep it loose, and I chose a title that fits not only Icarus, but also is vague enough to be about any sort of fall - literal or psychological. The title is that of a song by k.d. Lang.

A Before and After version of this image can be seen on my Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/MichaelBilottaPhotography

Model: Gilberto Mendez