Martini Coetzee: Anniversary

The rose is a symbol of love and passion. Ancient Greeks and Romans associated roses with Aphrodite and Venus, the goddess of live. A Latin expression ‘sub rosa’, translated as ‘under the rose’, means something told in secret. Roses convey messages without words – a confidentiality.

My husband bought this rose bush for me as an anniversary gift. I was so enchanted by the colour; it was the perfect symbol of love and admiration. The secret messages told by the roses are there for the viewer to observe and interpret as their own.