Hade’s Curse

Artist Statement:

This diptych's theme is the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades.

I've often seen the story told as a "forbidden love" type of tale, but that strikes me as romanticising kidnapping and possible sexual abuse. In the first piece, you can see Hades trying to feed Persephone Pomegranate seeds. In the myths, eating food from the Underworld will make the person eating it unable to leave. I've used that in this context to represent how abuse affects the minds of victims, chaining them to continued trauma and suffering throughout their lives.

In the second piece, we see an older Persephone freed - she has found herself and has put in the work to heal from her trauma (the pomegranate seeds can be seen, she has spit them out and escaped her abuser). The pomegranate itself - a symbol of bondage - has been transformed by her struggle into a beautiful crystalline geode.

Dimensions: 250mm (w) x 370mm (h)

Year: 2025

Medium: Mixed media

Framing Specifications: Double mat with white mat and burgundy velvet, contrasting black frame and art glass.

Framed Dimensions: 440mm (w) x 575mm (w)