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Frieda van de Poll
The Madonnas
Solo exhibition Glass Gallery
Coventry, 09/05/04 - 15/5/04
The series of paintings called ‘The Seven Madonnas’ by Frieda van de Poll depicts a variety of female figures. All are reminiscent of some icon of womanhood. Since the Madonna is the epitome of this archetype in western culture, she features four times in the series in various settings and guises: as Stella Maris, The Star of the Sea, she protects;Black Madonna represents the sorrowful Mother that weeps for humanity; Donna wears the mask that plays the role of womanhood; Mona, ascending into heaven, speaks on our behalf.
All these women are linked through the Mother Goddess, who is more ancient than the Christian Mother of God. She appears in all religions and cultures. Venus is the maiden of innocent love; Durga the Indian Goddess of Wrath who is ‘beyond reach’ and cannot be conquered. Coventry’s good Lady Godiva rides her horse to fertilize the land. Each one of the Madonnas is doing something unexpected, something unheard of; the story of womanhood is always repeated and ever changing.
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