Keto - Goddess of the Sea Observing increased plastic pollution along the shoreline on the Greek Island of Paros the artist Clare O Hagan felt compelled to take action. In the land of Greek legend, O Hagan reimagines the Goddess Keto and fashions her form from a rock found on Paros together with plastic debris collected from the shoreline. The work defines a new mythology, discoverable through Keto’s imagined ancient artifacts, assemblage and prints fashioned by the artist. Keto’s quest to attend to the destruction of the ocean is supported by a network of Goddesses whose mythological stories are re-interpreted and informed by the artist’s feminist viewpoint.

The artist’s view: “My aim as an artist is to create meaningful relevant work. 'Keto, Goddess of the Sea' aims to draw attention to, and calls to action in reversing the destruction of the oceans by plastic waste. Keto came to me one early morning whilst sitting on a sea cliff edge, watching kestrels fledge on the Greek Island of Paros. Being a frequent visitor there, and newly arrived after a storm, it was shocking to see the beaches on the walk to the cliffs polluted with plastic waste. After collecting the rubbish to dispose of later, I sat surrounded by it on the cliff edge.

Looking out over the Aegean Sea sprinkled with tiny islands, the morning mist rising, I imagined that being in Greece, the land of the Gods, there must be one who could give us a hand now to sort out this plastic pollution. I went off to find one and I did, her name is Keto - Goddess of the dangers of the sea. I was reluctant at first to name Keto a Goddess. The term goddess is, I believe, devalued in English-speaking contemporary society. In Greece it contains all the weight bore during the time of the matriarchy. In modern Greek, as a metaphor, it would mean a beautiful and capable woman. On finding a rock resembling an ancient Greek theatre mask I felt compelled to make Keto real. With this mask and an assemblage of plastic waste collected from the shoreline - Keto came into being at the Environmental and Cultural Archeological Park, Paros, Greece on the morning of 27th June 2017.

To add weight to the Keto legend I embedded her in an imagined mythological past by creating a series of iconographic images, referencing Paros. We see Keto’s image embedded in rock beneath our feet, emeshed in a window in Pariokia town, and striking a pose on a rocky headland overlooking the sea. In Ancient Greek mythology, it appears that Goddesses were constantly set against each other. Keto’s re-imagined mythology presents a different scenario, as a diverse group of them gather in Paros to support her: Stone God stands guard by the port in Pariokia. Keto’s daughter - a winged God from the museum in Pariokia runs by the Church of 100 doors to join her mother Keto. The Sirene sisters, who alert us to danger are to be found in a pottery fragment in the Museum of Paros, while Styliana, the pillar of light is seen outside the cave of the poet glowing with energy from her actions championing sustainability. In terms of the making of artworks, I tend to forge ahead unfettered by constraining conventions. I utilized what was to hand on the island - the sun and salt water, together with found objects, to make a series of prints, artifacts and fossils.

I used a variety of alternative printmaking/photographic processes - cyanotypes and salt prints, on paper and stone, resulting in images that describe Keto, her environment, past and present. On return to the UK, I made a series of black and white photo polymer etchings, referencing imagery produced on Paros. In addition to a series of iconic portraits of Keto and her supporters, further etchings feature objects found on the shoreline, and fossils mined from rocks. Aesthetically what I hoped to achieve within the etchings was a sense of scholarly study of the icon, which you would observe in material in a museum or place of learning. In ancient Greek mythology Keto is the mother of the Gorgons. They have considerable power, and as with many strong women have been given a bad press, being seen as vengeful monsters. My Keto is different. I endow her with a lot more than three graces. Keto is powerful, has courage, endurance, certainty and vigour. With clarity of purpose, Keto seeks you to join her in discovering and implementing creative solutions to save her home - the sea.”