Psyche and the Lamp
Kyra Correa
Major: Illustration
Genre/Medium: Edge-Lit Lamp. Laser Cut and Engraved Acrylic, LED Lights, and 3D Printed PLA.
About the work: “Psyche and the Lamp” depicts a reimagining of the story of Psyche and Eros. The story goes that Eros, the god of love, accidentally falls in love with Psyche, a mortal woman, after being sent by his mother Aphrodite to make Psyche fall in love with something hideous. The two meet with each other often, but only under cover of night, as Eros doesn’t want Psyche to see that he’s a god. Of course, the curious Psyche eventually betrays Eros and looks upon him by the light of her lamp, unleashing a chain of events and trials that eventually lead to her becoming the goddess of the soul, united eternally with her lover Eros. Here, Eros is replaced with a spinning (16) Psyche, and instead of an act of betrayal, the soon-to-be goddess Psyche is engaging in an act of self-discovery. Psyche’s curiosity reflects the curiosity of humanity as a whole as we attempt to discover our own planet’s core—its soul, if you will—by exploring (16) Psyche, the possible core of a planetesimal. Read more…