Leda and the Signet
- Artist: Joyce Carreira
- Artwork: Leda and the Signet
- Medium: Bronze sculpture
- Size: 2.3m x 1.5m
- Limited Edition
- Usually cast per order, please enquire
Leda stands in quiet strength, embodying a moment of profound transition. She no longer clings to the past as a victim, but rises as the mother of transformation. With outstretched arms, she presents the signet, not merely an object, but a legacy—a symbol of authority, identity, and purpose passed down. Upon her brow rests a swan-shaped headpiece, not as a reminder of the myth’s violence, but as a mark of transcendence, of power reclaimed and redefined. She wears the mythology, but is no longer bound by it.
In this sculpture, the myth of Leda and the Swan is reimagined, stripped of its violence and reclaimed through the lens of maternal strength, agency, and the empowerment of legacy. The signet is not a token of fate, but a deliberate act of passing down power and identity.
In classical mythology, Leda’s union with Zeus, disguised as a swan, led to the birth of figures of great importance, including Helen of Troy. The myth has traditionally been framed as one of divine conquest and mortal helplessness. But in this interpretation, Leda is no passive recipient of a god’s will. She is a protector, a nurturer, and a creator of legacy. The signet—the emblem of her lineage, her power, and her strength—is not a burden to bear but a gift to offer.
“Leda and the Signet” explores motherhood as a force that transcends biology—it is about strength, choice, and the responsibility of passing on something greater than oneself. Leda’s open, grounded, and regal posture declares her readiness to entrust the signet to a world that may not fully understand its weight or significance.
The signet, in this context, becomes a powerful symbol of lineage and legacy—what does it mean to carry a symbol of power that originates from something or someone seemingly foreign, something that doesn’t easily fit within conventional norms? Leda’s act of offering the signet is not one of submission, but one of agency, of claiming what is hers to give, despite the world’s potential resistance.
In a world that often divides by culture, race, or identity, Leda’s gesture becomes a metaphor for unity and strength. She offers the signet with trust, not fear, embracing the power within it rather than denying or hiding it. The sculpture speaks to those who have carried—or been entrusted with—symbols of legacy that bridge divides, whether they be generational, cultural, or historical.
This piece is a meditation on reconciliation: reconciling myth with meaning, the past with the present, and a mother’s love with the identity she imparts to her child. It’s a celebration of strength, transformation, and the unspoken power of legacy.
“Leda and the Signet” is not a mere retelling of a myth—it is a resurrection of agency, of strength, and of grace. Here, Leda is not defined by tragedy, nor is she seeking escape. Her wings are not for flight, but for protection, sheltering the future of her lineage. She does not weep—she offers. And in offering, she dares the world to recognize the strength and power that her legacy brings.
