Mary Katrantzou: de-codes Greek Key symbol
An embrace of her own culture background recontextualises Katrantzou’s signatures: her prints, her silhouettes, her heritage. The language is Mary Katrantzou, but the key is Greek.
Continuing her exploration of textile innovation, fluid chainmail is mounted with lace and overprinted, exposing frames of psychedelic infused figures with hourglass silhouettes pulled in and keyed close to the body via grid smocking. The instantly-identifiable Greek key meander borders garments.
New Classical De-codes Greek Key symbol
The meander motif took its name from the river Meander, a river with a very convoluted path, mentioned by Homer in Iliad. The motif is also known as Greek key or Greek fret. Meander was the most important symbol in Ancient Greece, symbolizing infinity or the eternal flow of things. It is considered that there is a connection with the Cretan labyrinth – the meander is the figure of a labyrinth in linear form.
The twisting pattern symbolizes as well the bonds of friendship, of love and has also been thought to mimic the serpent, symbol of guardianship and healing. Perhaps this is why the design was also used on armor, such as this shield of Philip II of Macedon.
The meander motif appears frequently on Greek pottery, especially in the Geometric period, but is also used in monumental sculpture, for example, in frieze decoration on temple pediments.
New Classical De-codes Greek Key symbol
