NOBLE MAIDEN FAIR

Greece, filled with topics that spark investigation and curiosity. One could study mythology, philosophy, architecture, nature, the tourism industry, sports, the birth of democracy, the immigration issue, and local food and music. Where to begin?

I ended up studying the depiction of women in Greek mythology, specifically how we regard them and how they have changed through the centuries with specific attention to Medusa, Arachne, and Sirens.

I ended up visiting museums to observe how the female is depicted in its more original Ancient Greek state before moving towards how each has been modified to fit the audience of their time. I researched the impact of the muslim work and how many of our most famous records of that time period came from the burning of the library of Alexandria thus coming back into popularity in the Renaissance. I had a particular interest in how certain images of each female came to be, specifically as in Islam it is Haram to depict things beyond trees and other lifeless things.

I was particularly interested in how Sirens evolved from birds to mermaids in popular culture, and the depiction of Arachne in The City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan. Each cultural reference has shaped our interpretation of these female characters, often mutilating them to either be monsters, jealous, or seductive.