The new IFC series Portlandia has been getting major press. My eyes have been rattling around in my head, they rolled back so far. Are hipsters still in?
But, after seeing this clip about how in Portland the dream of the nineties is still alive, I’m amused. Plus, I love Fred Armisen.
Portlandia is also the name of a sculpture located at the entrance of the Portland Building (1120 SW 5th Avenue, in Portland, Oregon). Sculpted by Raymond Kaskey, it’s based on Portland’s city seal, which features a woman, the Queen of Commerce, in Classical garb, brandishing a trident. Wikipedia quotes The Morning Oregonian as stating on March 22, 1878, that the lower portion of the seal contains a wreath of myrtle.
Sound familiar?
The Greek muse Erato was often portrayed wearing a wreath of myrtle and roses. Interesting, since Portland is none other than the City of Roses. Erato, the muse of lyric poetry, is often depicted carrying a lyre; however, Portlandia carries a trident, which is the traditional symbol of the Greek god Poseidon. The irony here is that with its sheaf of grain, the city seal was supposed to recognize Portland’s agrarian, which a pitchfork would have symbolized. The similar-looking trident symbolizes fishing, and Poseidon used it to wreck havoc on the land by creating earthquakes. Of course, the Queen of Commerce is standing by a body of water so perhaps she is also Queen of the lower Columbia River.
Another possibility is that Portlandia is based on the Greek goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite. Aphrodite is often depicted with myrtle and roses. She is often positioned by the sea, but she holds a scepter instead of a trident. Aphrodite is the Greek incarnation of the Phoenician goddess Astarte, whose symbol is the star. In the seal of Portland, a star hovers above the Queen of Commerce.
It’s interesting the way Greek mythology resurges, insinuating itself in pop culture. Does this mean we might be seeing Greek hipsters—Gripsters—in Portlandia?
Portlandia airs tonight at 10:30 on IFC.
Stephanie Nikolopoulos 
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