I chose to work with the 3D scan of the sculpture “Silenus with the Infant Bacchus.” It is believed to be a Roman copy of a bronze Greek original by Lysippos (A Greek sculptor of the 4th century) or one of his followers. It depicts Silenus holding the baby Bacchus, who he was a father figure, tutor, and companion to in Roman and Greek mythology. The sculpture denotes love and companionship, especially the connection within the power dynamic of a tutor and student. Silenus has a relaxed and comforting pose, compared to the fussy baby Bacchus who is pawing at his face. There are mainly undertones of care and fatherhood; the sculpture has positive connotations. Because of this, I want to create contrast in my distortion and make it into something more negative or freakish. Since Bacchus is the God of wine, fertility, partying, theater, etc., I could weave some of the negative aspects of these themes into the distortion: My most prominent thought is to distort the expression of Selenus to be sad and desperate as the form of Bacchus is distorted into a liquid that is melting through his arms. This would give the sculpture a negative connotation: loss and despair. The liquid aspect also ties to Bacchus being the God of Wine, which can be reminiscent of excitement, fun, and prosperity, but can also be tied to sin, sickness, and bad decisions.
