Siren, 2012, Ray Caesar

 The girls Ray Caesar portrays rivals those of Mark Ryden in their resilience, vulnerability, and ferocity. Caesar portrays their hurts and betrayals but also sends them into the realm of the monstrous, where he keeps them safe and reveals the deeper afflictions of a culture, which continues to harm our young through abuse, isolation, and sexualization. But there is a stunning beauty and luminosity to his work that keeps our own gazed trapped even as we are disturbed by what we see. To read my full article, visit Weird Fiction Review.

Image credit: Ray Caesar/Gallery House”