Article 1
08 mars 2023
Universal and individual, eternal and temporal are the oxymorons that motivate the birth of Maison Héliora, the extraordinary project of Hanna's artist and designer, the mind and hand behind these original creations. High-end porcelain talisman jewelry, entirely handmade in Provence.
Each scarab tells its own personal story and at the same time leaves room for the wearer to imagine their own story. Singularity is the quality that the designer wanted to encapsulate in these precious talismans. It is singularity itself that inspired this project: the idea of sharing our own individuality to create a community.
"Maison Héliora is a philosophy of life, it celebrates and pays homage to the Woman through its Scarabs all handmade and ethically crafted."
Héliora has its origin in tradition. The name itself is a celebration of women, uniting the name of the goddess Hemera, the goddess of the day, and Hera, queen of the gods and protector of women. The Greek tradition gives us through a prolific mythology, many female characters that are necessary for us to register as modern women in our history.
The woman in Greek mythology
Mythology is not only a collection of fables, fantastic tales without any link with reality, but it reflects the culture to which it belongs. The stories tell the society, not as a reliable mirror, but they contain enough elements to restore a vision of the society of the time in which this mythology originates.
So, what do the myth of the Judgment of Paris, the story of Helen of Troy or Medea or Pandora tell us? These legends portray women as manipulative, selfish and dishonest, thus warning society of the inevitable consequences if women gained independence and power. A kind of memento that reflects a patriarchal Greek society.
The myth of Pandora has as protagonist a woman who is charged with the responsibility of having afflicted the whole society with evil. She is a deceitful and manipulative woman, but these characteristics are shared by the goddesses as well: Aphrodite, for example, is often described as a conspirator. She represents the fear of men: independent, beautiful and aware of her power over men. She is in a way the first "femme fatale" using her beauty and seductive power to assert her power over male victims. To quote another example, Helen of Troy instigates jealousy, hatred and conflict between two men which turns into a decennial war between two peoples, for which she alone will bear the responsibility. From the story of the Judgment of Paris, which has as protagonists three goddesses, emerges a portrait of the woman as vain and devious. The bad outcomes of these stories, where the woman held the power (even if only partially), show quite clearly the will of the Greek elite to preserve a patriarchal social and political structure, where women have no independence and no voice.
Nevertheless, Greek mythology gives us portraits of women as heroines or goddesses who remain models to study and admire. Pandora, the first mortal woman, responsible for releasing all the evils of humanity into the world, she also shows curiosity and courage. To Helen of Troy, the outbreak of the Trojan War is attributed, yet she is a woman who knew how to choose for herself, following love above all. The wife of Odysseus, Penelope, is an example of marital fidelity, independence and astuteness for having raised her son alone, for 20 years, and having used her intelligence to remain faithful to her values. Atalanta, another Greek heroine, a famous and fast hunter, is famous for having killed the two centaurs who had tried to rape her. Clytemnestra, Danae, Ariadne, Daphne, and many others are examples of women who emerge from a strictly patriarchal (fictional and not) society, and yet they possess admirable qualities (strength, courage, intelligence, passion, etc.) thanks to which they emancipate themselves from a world ruled by men and give us feminist models that still resonate today.
A contemporary heroine
That the stories of these mythical women are still so contemporary today, tells us that the inequality described in her tales is still very real and far from being relegated to a legendary past. The western world, after centuries of disparity has been the scene of a period marked by important goals and victories for feminism, which thanks to decades of struggles, has managed to bring the concept of gender equality closer to reality. In this International Women's Day, we celebrate these triumphs, but we do not forget the weight of the road that our society still has to travel to overcome all the forms of discrimination and violence that women still suffer today.
Throughout history, women have had to respect societal ideals, having to embody them without ever being able to define them. Today we struggle to be the heroines of stories written by ourselves, to determine our values, our desires and our future.
The road against inequality is still very long. We could believe that we have already won, that we have already obtained this parity, if our life has granted us the privilege to feel it. But March 8 does not celebrate the individual, but the women of the world. We must honor this community to which we belong and fight so that equality is not a privilege.
Creativity in female solidarity
Art has its place in this struggle. Creativity and passion, determination and originality of initiatives can build and strengthen this community. From a small individual project can be born a collaboration between women, an exchange of stories and ideas that will enrich us, will make us leave our point of view and admire a much larger landscape through multiple eyes.
Lets celebrate this day with the promise of reaching out to another woman and listening to her story.
Text written by the talented editor @eleonoracerasoli
photos: @greekmytholoqybc; Hélène à la Porte Scee (Helen at the Gate Scee) Gustave Moreau1880 , source: musee-moreau.com
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