I've enjoyed the rich mythology connected to Aphrodite/Venus and have found many connections to the other Gods and planets. In this piece I travelled on Venus to the area named Ishtar Terra where I revealed remnants and found fragments of Aphrodite's love potion bottles...as if the Goddess had a storage of these mixtures but long forgotten in this northern region of the planet?! The words scratched onto the dark surface represent the Sappho poem which is part poem, prayer , supplication as well as words of admiration.
My earliest encounter with Venus (the goddess) was with the 1948 movie titled "One Touch of Venus" starring Ava Gardner. I was very young and regularly watched old B&W movies with my sister on TV weekend afternoons. This light comedy begins as an Anatolian Venus sculpture( with arms) is on display at a department store. One evening a lonely window dresser kisses the cold stone check of Venus and yes, Voila, she comes to life and the real story begins! I was completely impressed with this movie and even to this day I smile at the memory and also smile when I see an interestingly posed mannequin.
For now I'm leaving Venus and skipping past Mars. It is too crowded for me on Mars with Russians and US expeditions. I'm off to the Asteroid fields between Mars and Jupiter.
