Design studios that reintroduced Greek souvenirs
DS.WRITER:
Vasilis Xifaras
Central Image: Greece is for Lovers / Atlantish Decanter | Photo: Nikos Alexopoulos
Souvenirs are an integral material part of a place’s identity. These objects, usually of questionable aesthetics, give people the sense that a part of the place they visited can be carried away with them, and while looking or using said object, they may connect with the place even though they are now on a different continent. Whether functional or decorative, handmade or not, these usually small souvenirs hold many surprises. In recent years, a significant number of studios, inspired by the culture of souvenirs, have been creating unique design objects that attempt to highlight this art form and reintroduce it to the public. We present to you our favourite samples of such work.
We Design
Since 2001, the interdisciplinary team consisting of Sergios Fotiadis, Theano Petridou and Philippos Fotiadis, has designed countless objects, functional or decorative, which bear references to Greek mythology, history and tradition. At We Design there is a combination of architecture, product design and graphic design, something that is evident in the wide range of works as well as in the balance between concept and functionality. The team supports its principles in practice: Greek elements dominate every sector, whether it is the design of the graphic identity of a product or the design of homeware. Besides, this group was one of the first to believe in bringing together different professions under the same roof, and they considered, from the beginning, the importance and intrigue of redefining what can be conceived as a souvenir, paving the way for other creators in the future.
Christina Morali
Christina Morali breathed new life into modern Greek ceramics, while she contributed to a large extent to bringing together fellow ceramists. After studying interior design at the Doxiadis School, she attended Hammersmith College of Art, where she excelled. With a passion for experimenting with different materials as well as techniques, her most popular line of objects, which received positive responses from a wide audience in Greece, includes functional objects whose form is inspired by modern or traditional industrial objects. The creator gave unexpected materialities to familiar products and more specifically she used metal and clay. Through this playful approach, Christina Morali redirected the attention of the following generations towards Greek design and ceramics, freed from the outdated archetypes and austere rules.
Petit Beurre sous verre | Photo: Χριστίνα Μόραλη
When in Greece
Aiming to give a modern identity to the concept of the souvenir, When in Greece collaborates with selected Greek graphic and object designers as well as with small producers, to create the objects it launches. Objects like notebooks, bags, postcards, t-shirts and mugs are aimed at those who wish to keep something from the country or simply express themselves with the brand's modern minimal aesthetic, which is based on the concept of travel. In most objects, we recognize graphic representations from different places with which everyone can connect, while the collection of leather utilitarian objects is particularly interesting.
Glyph Tote. Photo: When in Greece
Christina Skouloudi
Christina Skouloudi’s design studio has been operating for almost 15 years, with its characteristic "warm" object design, which is constantly explored through new technologies, materials and collaborations. She wants her design to exude the authentic Greek air, a break from the rapid pace of daily life, and for this reason, she usually chooses wood, leather and metal for her creations, materials that incite the sense of touch. The objects launched by the Christina Skouloudi Design Studio are useful in the home, office or restaurant, and combine direct functionality with simple lines, vivid colours and attention to construction.
Archaic printed leather coasters και Thalassina leather key holder | Photo: Giorgos Vitsaropoulos
Greece is for Lovers
The concept behind one of our favourite creative studios, Greece Is for Lovers, is actually the concept of "Greekness". Thanos Karabatsos and Christina Kotsilelou deal with the kitsch aesthetic of souvenirs with enthusiasm, humour, irony and nostalgia, combining such elements with luxurious materials in the design they propose. The result is handmade creations that praise the very characteristics that many believe must be missing from Greek design. Many of their objects, including containers, mugs, lamps and jugs, as well as home accessories and furniture, bear easily recognizable inscriptions from Greece. For more information about Greece is for Lovers, read here the interesting conversation we had with the creators.
Proto Attica | Photo: Nikos Alexopoulos
Valsamakis Ceramics
The ceramis creations of Panos Valsamakis have left their mark on the history of Greek art and have been distinguished within and beyond the country. There are dozens of important milestones in the life of the great ceramist, including his studies at the at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Marseille, the artistic direction at the Kerameikos Factory and also at the Anonymous Ceramic Society of Lavrio, as well as the construction of his residence-workshop in collaboration with Michalis Orros in Marousi, in the 60s. The workshop continues to operate, and since 2015 it has been taken over by Sofia and Panos Valsamakis, the grandchildren of the creator. With respect towards the artistic heritage, and taking advantage of the rich archive found in the workshop, they create handmade decorative paintings, plates and tiles, in a style that combines folk tradition with expressionism and realism.
Photo: Giorgos Vitsaropoulos
ath1281
The artist ath1281 has developed a distinct style of illustration in his art, be it murals or representational painting on sculptures, canvases, clothing and paper. His work can be encountered in many places in the urban web of Athens. In his series of handmade clay vessels, his characteristic human figures, reminiscent of comics, "come alive" and create a set of stories and compositions, influenced by Greek traditional ceramics but also by stories of everyday life, humour and exaggeration.
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