TAURUS - ΤΑΥΡΟΣ
Taurus (ταύρος) is the first piece from the collection ‘‘Ancient Zodiacs’’
I have always been fascinated by mythology, especially Ancient Greek mythology, and I have always loved astrology. For this collection, I wanted to bring these two interests together and explore the stories, symbols, and characters that connect them.
My goal is to create 12 paintings, one for each zodiac sign, inspired by its mythology and by the ancient art and cultures connected to it. I want each piece to have its own story, while the entire collection feels like one continuous journey through the zodiac.
I began with Taurus — my own zodiac sign — during my summer in Greece in 2026.
Taurus is traditionally represented by the bull, a powerful symbol that appears throughout ancient Greek mythology and art. In Greek mythology, the bull is famously connected to Zeus, who took the form of a bull in the story of Europa. But for my Taurus painting, I wanted to look even further back, to the ancient Minoan civilization of Crete, where the bull held a particularly strong presence in art and symbolism.
Canvas, oil, acrylic 19.5 ×19.5 in | 50×50cm
The painting is inspired by the famous Minoan bull-leaping scenes, known as taurokathapsia, which appear in the frescoes and artwork of ancient Crete. The imagery depicts figures interacting with and leaping over bulls, capturing movement, strength, and a sense of ritual and spectacle. Bull imagery was deeply present in Minoan art, from frescoes to objects such as bull-shaped vessels and figurines.
I was especially drawn to the visual language of Minoan art — its flowing figures, movement, bold shapes, and connection to nature. I wanted to take that ancient imagery and reinterpret it through my own painting style, rather than simply recreate an archaeological scene.
Starting this collection in Greece made the idea even more meaningful to me. I was surrounded by the history and mythology that inspired it, and Taurus felt like the natural place to begin because it is my own sign.
This is only the first of twelve. I will continue creating the collection after returning to the United States, exploring each zodiac sign through a different piece of ancient mythology, history, and art.
