Persephone's Dish

"Persephone's Dish," evokes the rich symbolism of pomegranates through the composition of a black bowl filled with whole fruits, one cracked open to unveil a cascade of glistening seeds. Created for the 2025 exhibition, "M is for Menopause", this mixed media piece, by Kiki Piper, serves as an emotional reflection on the intersections of fertility, femininity, and the transformative journey of menopause, drawing inspiration from the myth of Persephone, the ancient goddess of spring and the underworld.

The pomegranate has long been associated with fertility and abundance, its multitude of seeds representing the myriad possibilities that life and womanhood can hold. In the myth, Persephone’s duality—the maiden of spring who becomes the queen of the underworld—resonates deeply with the cycles of women’s lives. Just as the pomegranate symbolizes the balance between life and death, growth and decay, this piece reflects the profound changes women experience as they navigate their own cycles of fertility and identity.

The cracked open pomegranate is a metaphor for revealing "hidden depths", much like the complexities of the female body and experience. Each seed pouring forth signifies not only the potential for new life but also the richness of a woman’s journey—her dreams, desires, challenges, and triumphs. This duality echoes the transformations that occur with menopause, a stage often defined by both loss and liberation. The shedding of youth is balanced by the gain of wisdom and self-discovery, akin to Persephone’s movement between two worlds.

Through this artwork, Kiki Piper hopes to foster a dialogue about the richness of women’s experiences, emphasizing that our narratives, much like the seeds of the pomegranate, are forever intertwined with our past, present, and future.