Psyche Inspired: Gwenan Walker

Institution: University of Southern California

Major: Animation; Human Biology

Psyche Inspired Class: 2022-2023

Reflections on Psyche Inspired

Reflections on Project 1: the origin of spaces

the origin of spaces

gwenan walker

December 21st, 2022

Major: Animation; Human Biology

Genre/Medium: Oil Painting

About the work: This piece was inspired by the classical Renaissance paintings of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, as well as religious works of the same time period. Taking reference from ancient Greek mythology, Psyche and Eros’ love story as the god of love and goddess of the soul have otherworldly implications (even on the ethereal plane), embodying fundamental attributes of humankind and representing a power that even Zeus, the king of the gods, often feared. Their significance in folklore is reflected perfectly in the Psyche asteroid’s significance to space exploration, as NASA’s expedition may provide insight on the nature of our solar system’s formation and all of the planets within it. Psyche’s placement at the center of the piece, encircled by the deities of Greek and Roman mythology that embody the different planets of the solar system, is meant to represent that.

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Reflections on Project 2: Heart and soul

Heart and soul

gwenan walker

March 27th, 2023

Major: Animation; Human Biology

Genre/Medium: Digital (Clip Studio Paint)

About the work: This piece ties directly into the Greek Mythology behind Psyche’s name, similarly to my previous piece. Upon taking on her immortal form, Psyche became the goddess of the soul, with the butterfly becoming both her winged form and the Greek depiction of the human soul itself. Since the Psyche asteroid is believed to be part of the metal core of an ancient planetesimal, I wanted to depict Psyche receiving her gift of the soul from the Earth goddess Gaia, portraying how knowledge of our own core could help inform Psyche’s past.

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Psyche Inspired

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