Athens learns about design through the new Hyper Hypo bookstore

The bulk of information has become so great that it should be hosted in an autonomous and innovative space.

Aware of this situation, Andreas Kokkino and Stathis Mitropoulos created Hyper Hypo. 

In this new Athenian bookstore at 10 Voreou street, visitors can find everything concerning contemporary culture: subjects like art, design, photography, architecture and fashion. According to its creators, pop culture shouldn’t be confined to the internet but must exist physically so one can better comprehend it. The central idea of this new home for the visual arts in Athens is expressed in its name.

The meaning of «Hyper Hypo»

The bookstore’s name is twofold but symbolises many things. “Hyper” (in Greek meaning “over”) and “Hypo” (meaning “under”) refer to what is above or below, high and low, upscale and affordable, high culture and subculture, maximalist and minimalist, sparkly and rough. This exactly is the content of the bookstore, a mix of well-known and lesser-known publications and books from foreign and Greek publishing houses as well as carefully chosen design objects. Hyper Hypo, true to its name, extends on two levels. On the ground floor, you can find all printed material, along with posters by local artists, while the lower level is an exhibition and event space.

The double name is also a reference to the ingenious duo that conceived this idea. Andreas Kokkino is a fashion and design editor and stylist who was on staff at T: The New York Times Style Magazine for many years as well as an independent fashion stylist, and has collaborated with photographers, magazines and customers from all over the world. Stathis Mitropoulos is an award-winning graphic designer and art director, and his creative studio, based in Athens, is behind many cultural publications, magazines and books. The two of them first collaborated during the pandemic. When they realised they could not travel abroad to visit museums, gift shops and independent art and design bookstores, they decided to bring all of those things to Athens, under one roof. To convey the atmosphere of Hyper Hypo we talked with its creators.

Which book and/or magazine in Hyper Hypo stands out to you the most?

A favourite book of ours is the catalogue for the exhibition Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life, which took place at the Design Museum of London. It encapsulates the life’s work of the distinguished creator, who can be characterised as one of the most emblematic figures in architecture and furniture design of the 20th century. Regarding magazines, we love MacGuffin. It’s a beautifully designed publication, analysing meticulously a common functional object in each issue. In the current issue, the object is the bottle. 

Do you have faith in Greek design and, if so, how do you hope to contribute to its promotion?

Undoubtedly, we believe in Greek design and are very proud of the fact that Greek photographers, artists, designers and publishers are behind some of the most interesting books and magazines we feature at Hyper Hypo.

What sort of difficulties did you face during this, unprecedented by Greek standards, endeavour?

Our biggest challenge was to find the space. We were searching during the lockdowns which made it difficult to meet with owners and check out places. Moreover, rents in the centre of Athens have skyrocketed. We are very lucky that we found this space on Voreou street because it was almost exactly the sort of space we envisioned. 

So far, how have visitors responded to Hyper Hypo?

We are truly moved by some visitors who have expressed their appreciation for an art and design bookstore opening in the centre of Athens. This, for us, is the greatest reassurance and pleasure.

We thank you very much Stathis Mitropoulos and Andreas Kokkino, and we can’t wait to visit one of the upcoming events at Hyper Hypo!

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