Odysseus & Athena

Aris Aoide

A striking movie poster for 'Odysseus & Athena,' an animated short film by Aris Aoide. The title, rendered in sleek white outlined capitals with decorative lines, is placed on a deep to light purple gradient background with a subtle, organic swirl pattern. The lower two-thirds of the poster are filled with a vibrant, abstract composition of numerous translucent, sharp-edged forms resembling crystals or shattered glass, glowing in shades of bright pink, lavender, and white. These forms are densely packed and extend upwards, creating an energetic and ethereal visual.

With the goddess of war, Athena, at his side—and bearing the weight of ten years worth of war and the lives taken by his hand—Odysseus is confronted by a monster, a cyclops, on his journey home.

To have a goddess by your side offers unprecedented potential, but it comes at a heavy cost. Each time Odysseus kills, or rather “shatters” a person or any living creature, a shard of them attaches itself to his arm, echoing the voice he knew them by before they met their fate at his hands. Though his mentor watches, and despite the cyclops having taken the lives of many of his men, Odysseus cannot bear the weight of shattering yet another soul.

Based on Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus & Athena is a short animation project that draws on this mythology to tell an original story. It follows Odysseus through his memories of training under Athena as a young boy, his time in the Trojan War, and his present-day dilemma of being unable to kill the cyclops before him.

Using a stylized animation style set within a crystallized world, Odysseus & Athena seeks to answer the question: what happens to a relationship built on pressure and expectation, when it results in a one-sided accumulation of guilt, burden, and regret?

    About The Artist

    A highly detailed, psychedelic digital artwork with an overall diagonal scanline pattern. The central focus is a large, dark circular form, resembling an eye with a deep green iris and glinting red and white reflections, partially obscured by an orange-red textured beam. Two glowing, translucent yellow, abstract hand-like forms extend from the left and right, seemingly holding this beam. The vibrant background is a complex interplay of neon pinks, purples, and blues, featuring speckled pink textures, striped blue and purple geometric shapes, and smooth color gradients, creating a dynamic, otherworldly aesthetic. The artist's handle, '@shahphotos', is subtly visible in the upper right.

    Aris Aoide

    Hello, I’m Aris! I’m a digital artist that specializes in 3D modelling, animation, rigging, character design, and texturing via Blender, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. My work focuses on building new stories and worlds, inspiring others, and engaging with various fandoms and interests!

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