Mnemosyne, Mother of the Muses
Oil on canvas
This work is a two-dimensional composition showing an anthropomorphic form at the center, depicting the titan Mnemosyne, the mother of the nine Muses according to Greek mythology. A row of nine female forms appears in the mid-left side of the composition depicting the nine Muses (as observed in the region of Pieria). One of them is carrying a baby (Orpheus, who is the son of the muse Calliope). Another set of nine figures appear in the lower register depicting observers of the myth and its rites, or a second rendering of the muses.
Coil
Silk
The coil is created from a silk garment, an object simultaneously reflects and preserves the memories of a temporal/ephemeral life and symbolizes the retaining quality of memory.
Artist Statement
M. Zoie Lafis is a life-long supporter of the visual and performing arts, and a visual artist whose paintings are displayed at the Center for Hellenic Studies and in private collections, and she practices dance in the technique of Isadora Duncan.