Bronze Limited Edition of 9

I always wondered why the story of Icarus is told to demonstrate the foolishness of aiming too high. If you recall, Icarus was warned not to fly too close to the sun because his wings could melt and he would fall to earth and thus his escape from incarceration would end in death.

I’ve always thought that the moral of the story endorsed mediocrity – that being safe was more important than experiencing the extraordinary.

Icarus chose to fly towards the sun regardless of the advice and, as predicted, his wings melted and he fell to his death.

But in those few moments when Icarus reaches out for the sun, just before his wings come apart, would have been extraordinary and exhilarating – perhaps even worth dying for.

In this piece - as in life, the figure, though reaching up towards the sun, is still bound to the earth. The commitment to leap clear and strive for the sun is not yet made.