Lavi Longhin

“What is your favorite artwork?”

Curatorial Rationale

This exhibition was compiled with the theme of ancient myths from different cultures across the world in mind. Taking inspiration from myths I used to hear in my childhood, I represented six myths that struck me the most, a few from Ancient Greece, a few from Japanese folklore and one from Native American stories. Using various art mediums, I explored and experimented with both 2-D painting and 3-D sculpting.

Lavi’s Art Work

  • Persephone, 2023

    Oil on canvas
    35.5 x 28 cm


    A representation of the Greek myth of Persephone, queen of the Underworld and wife of Hades, representing a still life of elements from the myth in which she starts the season’s cycle and others that she appears in. In her myth, she gets captured by Hades and brought to his domain, where she marries him and eats one third of a pomegranate, which causes her to stay in the underworld for part of the year, causing spring, summer and winter based on where she is staying.

  • Wendigo, 2024

    Wood board, paper mache, foam clay and acrylic paint
    35 x 20 cm (not including antlers)


    An interpretation of the native American myth of the Wendigo, a cannibal spirit associated with greed. In this myth, a boy seeks help from a village after getting kidnapped by the spirit and all together they kill the Wendigo and separate its parts to avoid it healing itself.

  • Bake-Danuki, 2024

    Linocut print on paper
    17 x 14 cm


    A representation of the legend of a yokai, a japanese trickster spirit, trapped in the form of a teapot and sold to a man by a monk. In exchange for a house and not being used to make tea, the raccoon dog spirit dances and brings good fortune and money to the man.

  • King Midas, 2023

    Clay, cardboard, fabric, spray paint, chipboard
    20 x 35 cm


    A representation of the myth of king Midas, including elements important to the myth, like the oranges offered to the satyr. The subject is king Midas’ daughter, who he turns to gold because of his curse. In the myth the king of Phrygia, after helping out a satyr, gets his wish of possessing golden touch granted, but that backfires when even his daughter turns to gold in his hands.

  • Oshidori, 2023

    Oil pastel on canvas board
    20 x 30 cm

    A representation of the Japanese myth of the Oshidori, the mandarin ducks, representing a scene in which one of the two ducks mourns the loss of her lover in the shape of a human. This image appeared in a hunter’s dream after he killed the latter.

  • Bellerophon

    Oil on canvas
    76 x 62 cm


    A representation of the Greek myth of Bellerophon, hero of Corinthus who, aided by Athena, captured the mythical horse Pegasus and killed the three headed Chimera. Because of his hubris he tried to fly up to mount Olympus with Pegasus. The king of the gods decided to impart divine justice and struck the hero with lightning. This painting depicts the moment of victory before Bellerophon’s fall.