Persephone is the maiden of the seasons. She descends, and we move into the dark cold world of winter. She rises and we celebrate spring. But she was not just a victim; she tasted the forbidden fruit. She's the maiden, but she also embodies the wildness of desire that draws us down into the rich darkness of the Shadow and the Underworld.
In the official myth, the young Persephone is stolen away by Hades and taken to the Underworld. Her mother Demeter is goddess of the harvest. In her grief over Persephone's loss, she brings on winter, cold and famine. Zeus gives in to Demeter and releases Persephone. But during her time with Hades, she eats pomegranate seeds - how many is under dispute - and must forever spend one third of every year in the Underworld. I can't blame her. Pomegranates don't look like much at first: just a ball of plain red dirt. But pry one open and it is like a honeycomb filled with rubies. Although we may fear and avoid it, the dark night of the soul is filled with such riches.
17 x 14 x 14 inches.
Persephone
Porcelain/stoneware, found metal
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