The Metro: ‘Venus Undone’ reimagines what it means to be a goddess

History and its depictions of beauty are often shaped by those in charge. For centuries, the European archetypes of beauty and desirability have dominated the narrative. 

Venus is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Images of her— often created and adapted in favor of the male gaze—have been the prevailing image of beauty and love. 

But what happens when Venus imagines herself as something else? What would it look like to have her represent a Black woman? Or simply a whole complete person?

Cydney Camp is a Detroit-based artist who unpacks and deconstructs inherited images. In her latest exhibit, she explores what it means to be a goddess that isn’t perceived as an object.

“Venus Undone” is Cydney’s solo exhibition at M Contemporary Art in Ferndale. It runs through Dec. 6, inviting audiences to rethink how we define beauty and female autonomy.