Sirens have been a theme in my work for well over three years. In this update to a previous blog, a mirror was incorporated as planned in the artwork. This permits the viewer to connect with the Siren labeled in gold. The equations describing the attraction of the viewer to the Siren is placed on the rear of the glass of the frame. The circular mirror is attached to the front. Thus the frame becomes a part of the artwork. Figure B-1 shows the revised artwork, “Sirens”.

Figure B-1. Sirens. 2019, paper , circular mirror, 22 x 30″, JD Sage.

JD Sage, “Siren” #9-17, 2017. E-book IV, Sagama Publishing, Paxton, Massachusetts. Private collection, Massachusetts.

Historically man has been attracted to the unknown. Over the summer of 2017, on the Island of Prince Edward in Canada, I became intrigued by the history and the imagery of Sirens. Man has continually been enticed by this myth because in real life, he is a part of it. Men Sirens for the opposite sex receive less emphasis in the arts. WHY? Both men and women have similar thoughts and obsessions. The Piren or male Siren was introduced in an earlier blog to account for this overlooked possibility.

For those new readers, the sirens were dangerous women, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck their vessels on the rocky coast.

Last week, a fishing boat ran aground on rocks just West of here. It appears that Sirens are also working their charms in Canada. Local scuttlebutt suggests that the celebration of the end of the fishing season or fog played a role. Captains of vessels near the places occupied by Sirens were often tied to the mast of their ship so as to resist temptation and remain in control of the vessel. Figure B-2, is a painting by Herbert Draper depicting this scene.

Figure B-2. Ulysses and the Sirens. 1909, Herbert James Draper.

Ulysses and the Sirens, 1909, 69.25 x 84″ oil on canvas, Herbert James Draper, Ferens Art Gallery, England.

The lure of the Sirens as recorded in Greek mythology has been a topic for many artists. It will continue to serve as a topic for artists, albeit in a different form.