In Athens, the young creatives are redefining the city post-lockdown. Sharing their art and ideas individually and collectively, they see the importance and need for a greater reach and the continual effort required for the city’s creative industry to grow. Having overcome the harsh lockdown, the Athenians’ drive is at its peak, with the youth taking every opportunity the city and the internet have to offer, proving to us that creativity best shines through resourcefulness.
“Athens is full of young, talented creatives whom I wanted to present through this project because their opportunities are limited due to a small creative and fashion industry in Greece. In particular, during the lockdowns of Covid-19, their chances of travelling and working abroad were further restricted, making it more challenging to achieve their ‘breakthrough.’ The strict lockdowns enforced in Athens undoubtedly had a severe toll on the mental health of the population and put the already small creative industry in danger. On the other hand, the internet has played a beneficial and crucial tool to showcase their work and to promote their practice to a wider audience during this time and though these restrictions limited opportunities, it also gave the scene a push to think more creatively, innovate and surpass their boundaries. The imprint of this collective experience has influenced the Greek creative industry to be more open-minded, giving the young creatives a chance to work on bigger scale projects with a new contemporary approach.” – Creative Director and Stylist, Valeria Chrampani.
Irini Georgiou, Performer / Dancer
Graduate from Rallou Manou Professional Dance School, Irini has already worked and performed with notable artists, Euripides Laskaridis and Ermira Goro. Her dance is characterised by the exploration of misinterpretation; redefining and reusing existing ideas.
Danny Lusangu, Producer / ATH KIDS Collective
Danny aka Dazedboi is a Producer/DJ and member of the ATH Kids Collective – the collective that is reshaping Athen’s creative identity through a contemporary mindset. Find more of Danny’s work here.
Joseph Mouzakitis, DJ / ATH KIDS Collective
DJ and member of ATH Kids Collective, Joseph’s latest project ESCAPADE is about seeing the world from his point of view and the vision, to give an “escape plan” to those seeking it. The project’s radio show is live on Movement Radio every Tuesday 3-4 pm (EET) with events and web3 projects soon to follow.
George Kaisaris aka Kaytzey, Hair Stylist
Hairstyling for Kaytzey is entertainment, colour, creation and sculpture. A haircut is not only for a change but to discover an individual’s personality. Recalling his own self-discovery through playing with his own hair, his work is motivated by wanting to share this positivity with others.
Ioulios Papastathopoulos aka Jaul, is a rapper with his element in DIY hip hop, creating music as a means of expression as well as standing against the corrupt music industry. His group Dio_Miden_Dio_Miden (δύο_μηδέν_δύο_μηδέν) is an example of the rapper’s philosophy, working as independent artists with a goal to shed light on the countless social topics from police brutality, restricted liberty and feminism.
Joe and Kalliope, La Solitude Vintage
Joe and Kalliope are the co-founders of La Solitude Vintage launched two years ago. Having grown up in the most multicultural part of the city, they note the way people dressed united them as well as made them feel unique. Each little piece someone wore had a story and so for Joe and Kalliope, shopping vintage and secondhand is adding a sentimental piece into the closet. The pair hand selects each item and modifies the selected pieces to the buyer’s taste.
A strong believer in love, she expresses herself through poetry, painting, movement, video “and other not-so-official ways like singing gibberish.” Her dream is to become someone who can stay focused and get creative work done purposefully and not just in random bursts. The artist also runs a Greek street style account @elladamoda and is currently working on her new zine.
The multimedia artist experiments with drawing, collage and video art with colourful female figures often the subject of her visuals. Her latest project titled ‘Elfuzzz‘ explores a new direction for the artist, focusing on handpainted and hand-embroidered garments.
Spending her time between London and Athens, Christina creates art that expresses her inner world with colourful, imaginative depictions inspired by pop culture, and uses these references to criticise in a playful manner. Using video and animation as her main medium, she was the finalist of Circa x Dazed Class of 2021, showcasing her last film I am You, You are Me in London, Tokyo and Seoul in September 2021.
Credits:
Art Direction and Styling: Valeria Chrampani
Photography: Peggy Theodorogianni