Zack Scott
Visual Art 11
12/4/96
The Nike
A Greek would say, "When we go to battle and win, we say it is Nike."
According to Greek Mythology, The Nike was the winged goddess of victory.
Daughter of the titan Pallas and the river Styx, Nike sat at the side of
the omnipotent Zeus for the duration of his plight with the titans. The
goddess Nike came to be an everlasting symbol of victory and dominance on
the battlefields of ancient Greece. In light of her conquests, a popular
footwear company of the 20th century designed products in her name to push
new levels of achievement in athletes worldwide. The Swoosh logo at the
side of each shoe is intended to represent the wing of the Greek Goddess
Nike. The vibrant spirit of this ancient goddess has bridged the gap between
ancient mythology and modern technology, and manifested itself through the
most successful shoe company of all time.
The Nike of Samothrace captures the essence of the goddess in a dramatic
pose. Her body leans forward as her robust wings heave upwards, creating
a magnificent balance and sense of motion. Recovered in the Sanctuary of
the Great Gods by a French explorer in 1863, the statue stands 8 feet tall.
The deep lines and contrasting textures of the feathers, fabric, and skin
allude to the elegance of past Greek style. Of all similar remains from
ancient Greek art, this famous Hellenistic sculpture best reflects the sense
of pride, honor, and victory associated with the goddess.
The Swoosh logo was created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. Davidson was
asked by Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, to create a logo that could be
placed on the side of the shoe. She gave him the Swoosh, and he in return
gave her $35.00. When the Swoosh is inverted and placed next to the wing
of The Nike of Samothorace, one can see the correlation. This logo was designed
to embody the spirit of the Nike in a simple but effective form. The first
shoe with the Nike Swoosh was introduced in 1972, and with it an ancient
flame was rekindled. This started what would become the most popular and
well known brand name in the history of the shoe industry, and did justice
to the ancient goddess of victory for which it stands.
The association with this Greek goddess went much deeper. The Greeks inspired
athleticism and personal prowess by shifting political confrontation to
physical competition. The Greeks gathered an assembly of top athletes around
the world, in a competition we now know as the Olympic games. During the
Greek times, athletes gathered on sacred land, namely the Sanctuary of Zeus
and Hera near Olympia, Greece, to celebrate and pay homage to their supreme
god. To attain victory in these games was a matter of great prestige. The
Swoosh was designed to not only embody the wing of Nike and symbolize personal
victory, but also to celebrate the spirit and inspiration of the entire
Greek civilization and its competitive heritage.
A low relief carving made in 410-407 BC, Nike Adjusting Her Sandal, was
taken from a fragment of the parapet in the Temple of Athena Nike. As the
goddess extends forward, her chiton slips from her body, and wings balance
her stance. The covering lacks the pronunciation found in The Nike of Samothorace,
as it drapes over her figure smoothly rather than extending texture. A direct
reference to footwear and the importance of footwear can be extrapolated
from this piece. It was highly uncommon to have such attention drawn towards
the feet in Greek art, yet this section from the parapet glorifies that
very aspect.
The attention to the sandal has developed into the attention to the shoe.
From track and field to football, Nike has created a reputation of excellence
in design and durability. Favored and publically endorsed by many top athletes
around the world, the Swoosh has built up immense publicity, much like the
ancient goddess, through victory. Gail Devers won the Gold Medal in the
100meter and 4x100 meter relay during the '96 Olympics. She is claimed to
be the fastest woman in the world and a true symbol of all that Nike represented.
She is shown in this photograph after her emotional victory sporting full
Nike apparel and shoes.
Long ago Nike planned "To be the number one sports and fitness company
in the world," and today they can claim victory once again. Twenty-five
years ago, Nike outlined four objectives for the future: first, to provide
an environment which develops people to maximize their contribution to Nike;
second, to identify focused consumer segment opportunities; third, to provide
quality and innovative services and products internally and externally;
and lastly to establish and nurture relevant emotional ties with consumer
segments . As evident through its dominance in the world market and monopoly
of today's superstar athlete endorsements, Nike has clearly fulfilled its
four objectives and more.
Embodied in the spirit and luster of the winged goddess of victory, a company
of highest ideal was born. As depicted in The Nike of Samothorace and Nike
Adjusting Her Sandal, honor and achievement were of highest importance to
the Ancient Greeks. The victory Nike brought the Greeks in the war with
the titans is analogous to the victories our athletes bring us in the Olympic
games. The vibrant spirit of the ancient goddess has bridged the gap between
centuries, and proved itself as the paramount shoe company. The Nike Swoosh
embodies the vitality of the winged goddess who brought inspiration to the
most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization .
Bibliography
.
1, Stokstad, Marilyn, Volume One Art History. Prentice Hall, and Harry
Abrams Inc., 1995.
2, The History of Nike, http://www-personal.engin.edu/~jhwiii/nikehist.html
3, alt.culture:Nike, http://www.altculture.com/site/entries/nike.html
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