"Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow" by Candice Raquel Lee

Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow (edition of 8), bronze
Size (in): 7H x 10W x 16" L with white marble base; weight: 20 lbs
$2500 CAD including shipping

If you experience difficulty viewing the images on this page, try this alternative.

Place mouse over a thumbnail above to show alternate larger views. Clicking an image above will open an even larger (800 x 600) view (browser must be set to allow popups).

Can't afford a sculpture right now? Consider donating to support the website, the art, the philosophy, the cause of beauty...

The Sculpture: I chose to sculpt Iris in part as a reaction to Rodin's controversial Iris: Messenger of the Gods, which is essentially a headless female body exposing her genitalia to the (presumably male) viewer. I sought to put my Iris in a more becoming pose, one better suited to her status as woman and rainbow goddess. Although she is sensual and sexy, her pose is not graphic or gratuitous, but woman-centred in its power. As an arch--one of the strongest structural shapes--she flexes easily to the limit of physical possibility with the ease of a contortionist but does not break, just as women bend under the load of great responsibilities with unbreaking strength.

Iris smiles brightly, with shocking blue eyes and golden skin, comfortable and confident in her flexibility. Her bright skin reflects the sunlight and her blue eyes evoke water, the two components for the creation of a rainbow. She rests casually with hands folded under her chin, reinventing the classic pose of a 50s pin-up as something of power. She is not merely a sexual muse for men like Rodin's Iris, but a complex embodiment of all that is feminine and a symbol of hope for all women--a rainbow after bleak storms.

For Iris's base, I have selected a rare white marble containing subtle veins of powder blue and soft rose pink that convey a sense of the sky at dawn or twilight while allowing the gold of her body to shine at its best.

The Story:"Iris" means both "rainbow" and "messenger" in Greek, and in the ancient mythology she was both goddess of the rainbow and a messenger for the divinities of Olympus. In this capacity, she is the female counterpart of Hermes or Mercury. The great poets of Greece and Rome mention her frequently flying across the skies and sinking into the sea to deliver a message.

E-mail: candice@candiceraquel.com | Phone: 519.853.9037