Orpheus, the last gaze?

Orpheus, the last gaze?

David Balade offers a personal interpretation of the timeless figure of Orpheus, a foundational myth of love, loss, and creative power. Through a series of some twenty new works, the artist presents a sensitive and contemporary reinterpretation of this universal legend, questioning humanity’s place in the world, its fragility, and its capacity to rise again after adversity.

In this series, created using mixed media on paper, Orpheus is not simply the poet descending into the underworld to find Eurydice. He becomes a symbol for each individual facing the loss of what is essential: a loved one, a certainty, an ideal, a part of themselves. David Balade explores this pivotal moment where the pain of loss seems to engulf everything, but where a new strength can also emerge.