Reclaiming Shadow Womanhood

Artist: Hanako O’Leary (photo by Jo Cosme)

In Western societies, death and womanhood are rarely perceived as intrinsically connected. In artistic portrayals of women, female sensuality is often the sole focus. But in the Shinto tale of Izanami’s descent into the underworld, we get an intimate glimpse at the reality and horror of what it means to be both …