The Salome Theory
The goal with this particular Salome is to talk about the two iconographic representations of women, either as the Temptress or Virgin/Madonna. This is therefore a Salome, not as a nubile pubescent dancer but as a woman but the colours, composition, and style is supposed to talk about high renaissance Madonnas.
I seek to catch her in a moment of reflection which should encourage a similar moment in the viewer. The ideal reflection is on the irregular bringing together or specific narrative elements. Her left hand plays absently with the Hair of John the Baptist as a mother might do with her child. The background and colours are nothing foreboding or suggesting of evil as a traditional Salome might have so is this supposed to be a bright moment? She is not a lithe girl but a bulky, muscled woman so while you ponder if she could be a dancer, hopefully that leads to the idea that it shouldn't matter. She is still highly feminine. She is adorned in jewellery on the wrists to suggest some sort of decadence but the costume is decidedly plain. Green and Orange are her colours, opposing the Red and Blue of the Madonna. Opposing or Complementing? The architecture should suggest a halo but without being one.
At the end of the day, I'm not trying to tear down the archetypes of the feminine but rather to blur the distinctions and suggest that there can be a shared duality.
Salome is not looking at the viewer. In the center of the picture, staring out at the viewer, is the dead Baptist. With the head of the Baptist being where the Baby Jesus would be in a Madonna w Child, there should be some thought put to the relationship between John and Christ. I don't have anything I am specifically saying on the subject but it ought invite thought. I want to get, in the dead expression of the Baptist, something between a plea for help and an accusation.
The project in 4 incarnations