Mythology often serves as a form of cosmogony, depicting the origins and structure of the universe. Deriving from the Greek words “kosmos” (world or universe) and “gonia” (origin), cosmogony references theories of origin and evolution. In Laura Lima’s exhibition “How To Eat The Sun and The Moon” at Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg, the artist creates new worlds while returning to ancient stories. She does this with wonderfully porous and draping forms.
Featuring a series of new, large-scale textile pieces, “How To Eat The Sun and The Moon” draws inspiration from Brazilian folklore and spiritual imaginaries, particularly those from the countryside where Lima grew up. This connection to her cultural roots is evident in the lyrical nature of the exhibition’s title, speaking to cosmogonies that reflect themselves through tradition and transformation. How could one conceive of reaching and eating the sun and the moon? Perhaps mythology becomes a way of transmitting and preserving ideas, shaping cultural identity and providing a framework for understanding the universe and humanity’s place within it. Like the body of work presented in the exhibition, this framework encompasses the physical creation of the universe and the spiritual and cultural dimensions of existence.
