Mythology | Greek
Photo manipulation & digital painting (No AI)
Persephone
Greek goddess of Spring & Queen of the Underworld
The natural transition between decay & flourish
The Story
Persephone is the Greek personification of seasonal transitions & therefore is an archetype of perpetual transformation. It is a fascinating story full of deep symbolism & mystery, since the ancient Greek’s believed the gods did in fact roam the Earth & that these narratives did take place in history. This myth describes the dark but uplifting transition from naivety to empowerment. Persephone is abducted & her purity raped by Hades, god of the Underworld. A deal is made between Hades & her mother Demeter that binds her to eternally transitioning between her roles as Spring maiden & Queen of the Underworld.
The cave through which she was said to transit between these realms is in Eleusis at a sacred archeological site I’ve had the privilege to admire in person. This is where the Eleusinnian mysteries were carried out for centuries to inniate Athenians into the mysteries of Death & Rebirth. A mystery that is said to have induced a knowledge & understanding that could relinquish the fear of death. In my opinion this is a deep wisdom found from reflecting upon & expressing a natural archetype. An archetype shrouded & preserved in the symbolism of Persephone’s essence.
My Thoughts & Feelings
This story reminds us that transformation is inevitable & that the evolution of existence is eternal. Therefore, we are encouraged not to fear it, but instead to flow with it. Persephone illustrates the reality that both joy and grief are unavoidable during the cycle of life & death & that it is a rhythm we must all come to peace with. In fact, she demonstrates how embracing this rhythm & giving every diverse emotion the attention, time & place it deserves can empower us to embody a fulfilling life & potentially transcend the fear of death.
In my opinion, this narrative relates closely to the role that fungi and flowers play in the world, which are the two motifs I fused throughout the print. I attempted to capture the intersection of death to birth by exploring how blossoming and rotting or the grave and the womb would simultaneously feel.
Photography credits
In same order as gallery below
Adobe Stock: Kharchenkoirina
Unsplash: Damir Omerovic
Unsplash: Ivan Bandura
Unsplash: K Mitch Hodge
Unsplash: Sander Weeteling
Unsplash: Zoltan Tasi
