Nike with Broken Wings

Marilyn Pappas made thousands of tiny stitches to illustrate a Hellenistic Greek sculpture of Nike, the goddess of victory. The artist equates embroidery with drawing, but as a slower and more satisfying process—with every stitch, she ponders the folds of time. “Larger than life, scarred and battered by the ravages of time, there is a peculiar beauty, vulnerability, and dignity in these mythical personifications of idealism,” the artist explains. Pappas, whose prolific career in fiber spans sixty years, has interpreted ancient goddesses with modern sensitivity. She imbues Nike with Broken Wings with a sense of feminist power and, of course, victory.

This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, 2022