Exhibit - Still Divine: Prints by Madeline Devantier
Kirkhof Wall Gallery, First Floor, Valley Campus
Russel H. Kirkhof Center, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI 49401
Exhibition Dates: October 17, 2025 - March 13, 2026
Open during Regular Building Hours
Madeline Devantier, Perseus & Andromeda, 2023, screenprint, 2025.39.1
"When I was four years old, I came home from preschool and told my mom I wanted to learn how to read. I haven’t stopped since. My long-standing obsession with Greek mythology started shortly after, and stories have become an integral part of my work as an artist. In addition to stories, objects play a central role in my imagery, often becoming a perfect stand-in for humans, our experiences, and identities. They are what we surround ourselves with, what we interact with and use on a daily basis, and are the things that remain long after we are gone.
This body of work blends those two interests, reimagining Greek mythology through the lens of a still life. Each arrangement is full of objects, color, and patterns that reflect moments of the myths they're drawn from.
While we don’t use these myths anymore to explain the change in the seasons, the movement of the sun and moon across the sky, or what causes lightning, they have still found ways to persist. These myths have stretched across millennia, weaving through time to be retold today." - Madeline Devantier
Selected Works & Student Responses
In 2025, artist Madeline Devantier met with students of Associate Professor Melissa Morison’s CLA 395 and CLA 495 in the Department of Classics to discuss her artwork. The students wrote responses as well as larger research papers inspired by her individual works and Greek mythology. Their responses are included alongside Devantier’s work.
Madeline Devantier, Aphrodite, 2023, screenprint, 2025.39.13
Student Response by Elyse Karaskinski
In this intricate silk-screen, Devantier uses images of flowers, makeup, and ocean treasures like the conch shell and pearl necklace to evoke ancient stories of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The lipstick and curvy vase evoke Aphrodite’s association with beauty and fertility, while the pearls and conch shell symbolize the birth of the goddess, and the riches (and conflicts) associated with the sea. Notice also the rose in both the Ares and the Hephaestus pieces; the repeating image of the roses symbolizes the love triangle of the three deities.
Madeline Devantier, Orpheus & Eurydice, 2023, screenprint, 2025.39.2
Student Response by Mikayla Ide
The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of lost love and grief. Shortly after their wedding, Eurydice dies, and Orpheus, a gifted musician, descends to the underworld to retrieve her. Charming Hades with his song, he is allowed to take her, but he must lead her out, not looking back to see if she follows. As they reach the entrance, Orpheus is overcome with doubt and looks back. Eurydice disappears; forever lost. Examine the candles and flowers in this piece, a sign of a life cut short. One sunflower faces away, forever in the dark, never to reach the sun again.
Madeline Devantier, Zeus, 2024, screenprint, 2025.39.16
Student Response by Jacob Morgan
Zeus evokes a powerful feeling of authority through objects referencing events in ancient myth. The rock anchoring the center refers to the iconic Prometheus story and the eagle feather serves as a reminder of the divine signs sent by Zeus in numerous ancient tales. Consider also the botanic references that suggest a more sinister side of Zeus: the cow parsnip reflects the myth of Io, the wheat reflects the story of Persephone and Demeter, and the lilies connect this piece with the themes of Hera.
This exhibit is no longer on display.
Kirkhof Center Wall Gallery, Allendale Campus
October 17, 2025 - March 13, 2026