Analysing the paintings in Blood, Sweat & Tears
Since I’m majoring in art, I asked my teacher of history of art if he can recognize the painting is this scene:
After watching the scene approx 8 times (istg I began to regret) he told me that this painting the “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”
If you have already read my explanation on the “Lament of Icarus” (aka the painting behing bts and jungkook @2:17 for example) then you recognized the name “Icarus”.
If you didn’t please read it here or you won’t understand!
Nothing abnormal in this picture right? huuum look closely. In the right corner you can this a drowning man: this man is Icarus
Icarus is the courage, the adventure, he’s young. Locked by Minos in the labyrinth he has the willingness to try to escape. But his flaw/mistake was to succumb to the intoxication of the success. This painting represents the call of the freedom and the dream of escape.
Apparently, the farmer with the red clothes is an allegory of the Hope (he didnt tell me why, maybe because the farmer looks like he’s always working?). This allegory contrasts with the fall of Icarus who represents the sufferings. Also this painting creates a separation between the dream (Icarus) and the reality (the farmer)
In the Mv
Taehyung also falls. But look at his face. He chose to fall and he’s happy about it. I think this represents Icarus flying before falling into the ocean, when there were no sufferings.
My teacher advised me to analyse the mv like I do with a painting or a sculpture (bc i told him that i didnt understand it lmao i wanted help), so thats what i did.
IF YOU DIDNT READ THE LINK, DO IT OR YOU REALLY WONT UNDERSTAND AND ITS IMPORTANT (!)
Look at the sculpture, the man (?) is about to fly (his right foot is almost in the air, his back and his right hand are moved forward), he looks confident. This man is obviously Icarus who is about to fly to escape the labyrinth.
In the myth, the wings were glued on his back with some wax (obviously hot wax, keep that i mind it’s important)
Then we see this
This scene contrasts completely with this scene:
In both scenes we see Taehyng from the back. In the first scene everything is bright, he’s smiling. In the last everything is dark, he’s in the same clothes but we can see his (beautiful) back, the light comes from above. An the most important thing: In the bright scene Taehyung is (almost) in the air and in the dark scene, he’s not anymore, he’s on the ground.
Again in the myth, Icarus flew way too high and the wax melted, then he fell into the ocean. It means that the wings arent on his back anymore.
It looks like the supposed wings on Tae’s back were extracted. Like Icarus, he losted his wings. Taehyung flew but fell on the ground. He didn’t succeed
Now my own interpretation of the wings: they can represent the dreams. We aren’t born with dreams like we arent born with wings. When we find our dreams, they are glued on us. They can make us happy and confident. We can fly with them. But it’s fragile! The wax can melt and we can lose our dreams easily.
