The Greek Goddess of Wisdom & Strategy...

... but also the most famous patroness of the Arts!

I depicted the goddess ATHENA in a modernized, striking way, because it felt right to me - to mix both, traditional with modern elements.

Athena Promachos would be the most fitting comparison to this depiction. Promachos was a monumental statue on top of the Acropolis hill in Athens, gracing the architectural structures around the Parthenon.

This unusual depiction of ATHENA portrays a woman as a warrior, standing almost unshielded behind a rock formation, preparing her strategic attack on incoming dark forces. She doesn't seem to be associated with the gods, yet she inevitably gives off the aura of a strong, dedicated woman. She knows her purpose, she knows what she is fighting for, and she knows that through her divine wisdom, knowledge and strategic powers, any battle can be won. Even a battle beyond the real world. 

A Greek Goddess that inspired us & will inspire us for decades to come

Athena can be a source of inspiration for all of us. Even in ancient times she was apparently viewed through eyes of great respect and adoration. Through her timeless qualities that are admirable for a plethora of reasons, she has gained a status of immortality - literally and metaphysically.

Just as she was a source of inspiration back then, she can be a source of intuition-centered inspiration now, igniting our inner sense of purpose, self-empowerment and innate wisdom, while asking us to slow down, contemplate about our plans and perhaps reorient our mind towards more fruitful strategies, pathways and endeavors. 

In the artwork above, I wanted to depict Athena in this highly unusual pose and style, because I believe, on the one hand, it makes her more relatable for us humans, and on the other hand, I am truly convinced that the way she's rendered here is not something that you would associate with a goddess on first glance.

But on second glance it makes complete sense that she is Athena, patroness of the arts and bearer of wisdom and strategic warfare.

Maybe we need to let our gaze linger on her features a little bit longer until this latter quality gently emerges out of her auric field - maybe the more masculine elements of her divine energy only seep through once we have realized our own innate duality...

At first, we might think 'Okay, this is a female warrior from the Amazons' - and you would be right in regards to the aesthetic aspects - the outfit certainly conveys that impression. And at the same time, Athena's demeanor, her posture, her gaze and her aura signal to me, 'Yes, I'm divine, I'm wise and I care for my people'...

So she has all these other-worldly-ethereal qualities, but also features of a normal human being. She is, in a strange way, very relatable I think. And that in turn nudges us towards recognizing our own intrinsic values and hopefully offers us a gateway to realize our individual, cosmically entangled wisdom. 

Instead of harnessing more and more information, accumulating more and more compartmentalized knowledge about every little thing and filling up our 'internal library' (and thereby only speaking to the analytical, linear-focused modules in our mind), we may want to disengage from the societal, normalized way of thinking:

Perhaps it's a good idea to reconnect with our intuition and wisdom by learning how to interact with the world and our immediate environment in a less compartmentalizing, analytically dissective manner, and in a more wholesome, unified and open-focused way. Non-judgmental neutrality can be very beneficial as well.

Athena wants to inspire you!

Whether you love Greek Mythology or you just came across this artwork 'randomly', I carry the strong conviction that Athena Promachos will inspire & motivate you with your work, your life plans and - of course - enhance the feel and atmosphere of the room you work in. 

More about Chronicles of a Myth and Art

Check out this music composition for Chronicles of a Myth that I composed: Banished by Athena. To dive into more art videos, music and behind the scenes, follow me on my YouTube channel!

Make sure to check out the other Fine Art Prints of this series (Chronicles of a Myth) - and collect them to grace your walls with powerful inspiration! All Art Prints are available on my site here, on michael-cerny.com, starting with the inventor Daedalus!