Berliner Morgenpost – “There Shall Be Nine Muses”
An article by Annika Schönstädt
Artist Ekaterina Moré photographs prominent women - and then paints them
In his work "Theogony", one of the oldest sources of Greek mythology, Hesiod is chosen by nine Muses to be a poet. Since then, the patron goddesses of the arts have been called upon whenever a writer, painter, sculptor or musician in creative distress invokes them, and they have been immortalized by these artists in their works for millennia. This tradition is now also being followed by the St. Petersburg-born painter Ekaterina Moré, known for her 1920s-style female portraits. For her Muses project, which she is planning together with psychotherapist and author Ruediger Dahlke, she has asked nine prominent women to slip into the role of the patron goddess. Thus, Valerie Niehaus becomes Euterpe, the Muse of lyrical poetry and flute playing. Tina Ruland becomes Terpsichore, the Muse for choral lyric and dance, Tanja Bülter becomes Urania, the Muse of astronomy, and Xenia Seeberg becomes Erato, the Muse of love poetry.
"With my portraits, I want to show different aspects of femininity," says Ekaterina Moré. This very approach also convinced the Muse models. "We had a very long conversation about femininity beforehand," says actress Xenia Seeberg. "I think we're no longer really allowed to live that out today, which is why I like Ekaterina's pictures so much."
However, before the artist picks up her brush, she first photographs the ladies during a shoot at the Art Galerie Richter on Kurfürstendamm. She then uses these photos as templates in her Düsseldorf studio. Tanja Bülter is sure that the result will not disappoint her. "I trust Ekaterina completely," says the presenter. And actress Tina Ruland also emphasizes: "You have to leave the artist alone in her creative process. I don't want to put my stamp on it at all."
Ekaterina Moré plans to present the finished paintings in Berlin in autumn 2014. The proceeds from the sales will then go to children's aid projects.
Article about the project "Modern Muses"
- Video of the Muses project in Berlin
- Exhibition “Modern Muses” by Ekaterina Moré in Berlin
- Der Kurier - "The Modern Amazon - Ekaterina Moré stages Regina Halmich as one of the nine Muses"
- Badische Neueste Nachrichten - "Regina Halmich plays the Muse - Melpomene for a day"
- Children's aid project for the Tribute to Bambi Foundation
- Berliner Morgenpost - "There Shall Be Nine Muses"
- Baden Journal - "Regina Halmich, the Karlsruhe Muse"
- Stuttgarter Zeitung - "Kiss of the Muses in the Urban Bustle"
- Bild - "Pictures full of strength & sensuality"
- Der Tagesspiegel – “A Picture of a Woman”
