painting
and legend courtesy Gary-Paul
Prince
The
mermaid Iris is a virtuous creature who devoted her
life to God and to helping other sea creatures.
Iris is also known as the patron Saint of recreational beach
goers. One story has Iris intervening in a shark attack persuading
a great white to agree to spare the life of a young surfer.
In another story Iris saved a drowning young girl caught in
the afternoon tide. Iris was martyed when she was caught in
a sweeping fishing net by vicious fisherman who killed her
for a trophy. Iris is the parton saint of mermaids, all sea
life, and recreational beach goers.The
scene lays out all the elements of the crowning event and her
sainthood. Iris is laying upon the rocks at the edge of the
beach. Her aura burns bright which is the divine gift of sainthood.
A disproportionate figure of the pope and a dog are next to
her. The Pope representing the bestowing of sainthood by the
church and the dog representing obedience.
These figures
are disproportionate in the byzantine tradition of displaying
hierarchy through proportion and placement.
In
Iris' tail is a hook representing her martyrdom and the
wound of love. On the ground is the remnants of beach goers...coke
can, cigarettes, sunglasses etc. These are also the corupting
elements of vice (images of human frailty).
There is also
a ice chest with a bleeding heart in it along with beer
cans. This is the modern version of the blood of Jesus
and the saints perserverance to follow it. On the beach
in the background are those who Iris protects...nude sunbathers,
a guy on a jet ski and some swimmers. Up in the sky from
a tempest emerges the vision of the crowning ...a gold
crown carried by cherubs, topped with a octopus and a shark.
Fish surround them as they move forward. Underneath the
crown is the manifestation of the light of God ...its rays
piercing the clouds and shining on the landscape.
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