The Guess Lawson Collection

Before Eve, Jewish folklore tells of Adam’s first wife, Lilith, created simultaneously and from the same clay as Adam. In medieval legends, Lilith is said to have attempted intercourse with Adam before Eve’s creation and later fled the Garden of Eden. In another version, she left Adam after refusing to be subservient to him and did not return after coupling with the demon archangel Samuel. The Bible presents Eve as the antithesis of Lilith, portraying her as the origin of humanity and a symbol of human complexity. Artistic interpretations of Eve delve into deep theological and philosophical questions, exploring themes like free will, the origins of sin, and the pursuit of knowledge. Unlike Lilith, Eve symbolizes the human condition, embodying both innocence and the profound impact of choices.

Delilah Montoya’s “La Llorona in Lilith’s Gardens” reimagines Lilith and La Llorona, the vengeful ghost from Mexican folklore who mourns her drowned children. Traditionally portrayed as evil spirits, Montoya’s Lilith and La Llorona challenge traditional double standards, infusing these female archetypes with new, empowering meanings. Montoya unifies Eve, Lilith, and La Llorona as different versions of women confronting the challenges of womanhood, urging us to look deeper and contemplate the forces shaping their, and our, realities. The art in “Lilith” invites us to reflect on the broader implications of women’s stories, drawing parallels between these women’s experiences and our own struggles with morality, temptation, and growth. Their eyes, their gaze, tell tales of perseverance, struggle, repression, sorrow, strength, and love. These are the backstories of many of our lives and of human existence