What is considered beautiful? What is considered cute or pretty? The concept of beauty is most often subjective but there is something we can all agree looks pretty cute: baby animals. From puppies to kittens, we can never get enough of these adorable creatures. However, this can not be said for all animals. It seems as soon as an animal that’s meant to be cute has an abnormality it is immediately seen as odd and a “freak of nature”. This stigma leaves certain animals without homes or forced to be preserved in museums to be gawked at — but one art piece hopes to defy that.
“Gemini” is a watercolor composition created by Independent Art student Aubry Conway. The painting consists of a fawn with Polycephaly, Poly meaning many, and cephaly meaning head. Deer with this condition are exceedingly rare with only 19 confirmed cases since 1671 according to American Midland Naturalist, a scientific journal from the University of Notre Dame. The fawn is lying on a bed of grass with a pink bow wrapped around one head. Conway utilized a reference of a tattoo that had a similarly looking concept and added her pink spin to it. When asked about the meaning of the piece Conway stated, “ I chose a deer with two heads instead of one because I thought it looked more visually interesting — could be a representation of the brutality of nature.” This can be seen through many elements of the piece. While it may seem like the fawn is burdened with having two heads, it remains relaxed and unfazed. The fawn has yet to experience the fear of being held captive while being watched by judgmental eyes. It lives unaware of its supposed abnormality. The bow adds another layer of cuteness and gives off a sense of innocence; the fawn remains untouched by man.
“Gemini” is one of many art pieces that Conway has and currently is working on. She has a real passion for art; she truly enjoys taking nothing and molding it into something visually appealing to the eye. When she creates something that looks “half decent,” which is every time, she feels a sense of accomplishment and pride. Pride is what fuels her drive to keep creating and moving forward. Conway will take her passion for art and create a career out of it. Currently, Conway plans to go into Social Media Marketing or Graphic Design where she can take the judged, abnormalities in our world and transform them into what they truly are — beautiful.
