Kimberly Dow | Venus Over The Ashes of Men, 2025
Venus Over the Ashes of Men is my reimagining of Venus as both witness and survivor. I wanted her to stand not as a distant goddess on a pedestal, but as a living presence against the backdrop of a world undone by human hands. The burning city behind her speaks to destruction and collapse, but her figure is steady—luminous, unyielding, unwilling to look away.
For me, this painting is about resilience and reckoning. Venus is no longer just a symbol of beauty; she embodies endurance, defiance, and the possibility of renewal rising from ruin. In placing her here, over the ashes of men, I’m reclaiming her power and reminding us of our own fragility and responsibility.
