MELINDA BRODDE

“This body of work is about death and its relationship with life and beauty rather than fear and sadness.

The entire motivation for my art shifted when my father died, I became preoccupied with ideas surrounding life, loss, fate and mortality. I found interest in epiphyte orchids which under optimal conditions are able to use cavities in a skull as a host from which to grow; I like the idea of something so beautiful growing out of death.

I chose goat skulls to host my orchids because of their association with fate and unexpected tragedy. The ancient Greeks had the goddess of fortune who was often depicted blindfolded. In one hand she held the ‘Horn of Plenty’ which originally came from the goat Amalthea and was said to provide whomever possessed it with an abundance of whatever they desired. In the Goddess of Fortune’s other hand was a ships rudder capable of steering one towards grave danger. People were encouraged to hold the possibility of disaster in their minds at all times, to recognize the fickleness of fortune and the likelihood of tragedy.

At times our emotional response to situations in life can be asymmetrical with heartache, pain or loss leaving a more powerful imprint on our memories than times of happiness. I find it helpful to think of birth and death in terms of symmetry.”


Melinda Brodde, 2012