"Myth of the Cave" by Osaru Obaseki is a diptych that draws inspiration from the philosophical concepts of Plato, particularly his allegory of the cave: a man emerges from a cave, symbolizing the journey from ignorance to enlightenment as he discovers deeper truths beyond the shadows of superficial reality. This allegory serves as a metaphor for the pursuit of knowledge and the challenges encountered along the way.

Each canvas portrays respectively the past and present experiences of female figures navigating through the complexities of African history and legacy, specifically from Benin City, Edo State, where Osaru Obaseki comes from.

In the left one, the artist visually depicts a female authority figure sharing knowledge with a younger generation, symbolized by a book devoid of titles or specific cover styles. This emphasizes the oral tradition of passing down Benin histories through generations via folklore and storytelling, enriched with symbolic motifs that form a unique African language of communication.

On the right canvas, the grown-up child, who is the artist herself, remains seated on the footstool of her ancestors, symbolizing a connection to home while exploring at the same time the depths of Africa's history in a new context, specifically Venice on the occasion of her residency program at AKKA Project, through engagement with the book "African Venice."

This juxtaposition of past and present, tradition and modernity, reflects the artist's exploration of African identity and the interplay between heritage and globalization. The composition of the diptych is influenced by the artist's visit to the Accademia Gallery in Venice and draws visual inspiration from "The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria" by an unknown artist from Verona, emphasizing the rich cultural exchange and influences across different historical periods and geographical locations. Through "Myth of the Cave," Osaru invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of African identity, history, and the quest for knowledge in an interconnected world.