2024 Ganymede was a Trojan prince, youngest of 50, who was herding sheep outside the walls of the city. Zeus spotted him from Olympus and instantaneously fell in love with the prince's beauty. He came down in the form of an eagle and abducted Ganymede. He made Ganymede cup-bearer to the gods, replacing his and Hera's daughter Hebe. This infuriated Hera, and to protect him from her wrath, Zeus turned Ganymede into the constellation Aquarius.
I wanted to explore this myth to describe the effects of grooming by a predator such as Zeus. Rather than the stars of his constellation, Ganymede is riddled with gold stars that teachers give their students when they're 'good'. This 'reward' for actions that make the victim feel hurt and dirty causes internalized shame, as described by Ganymede's expression.
Product code: Golden Boy (Ganymede) 2024 -- Etching and Aquatint Print