Athanasia Dekouli Portfolio 2023

Athanasia Dekouli

Art Shapes, Digital Motifs & Textiles Portfolio 2023

Athanasia Dekouli

Living in a rapidly changing world can be overwhelming, and it's easy to feel left behind. However, I've come to appreciate the value of slowing down in my everyday life and my design process. Rather than rushing through life, I now challenge the systems that promote commercialism and focus on creating things with passion and care. Each step of my design process is approached with precision and attention to detail, resulting in a high-quality personal creation that reﬂects my unique vision.

As a student of interior architecture with focus on scenography, I've learned the importance of synthesis, analysis, and communication in the creative process. I've also come to appreciate the signiﬁcance of fabrics as structural elements in interior spaces, the life vessels. Through my work, I aim to showcase the beauty and versatility of fabrics, exploring the historical connection between textiles, architecture, and the human body.

My passion for slow fashion drives me to create pieces that are not only beautiful but also sustainable. I'm inspired by the intricate details and delicate textures found in traditional crafting techniques, and I strive to incorporate these elements into my work. Through my portfolio, I hope to inspire others to embrace the world of crafts and design, recognizing the importance of taking the time to create something truly unique and meaningful.

athanasia.dekouli@outlook.com

+45 50341198

Location: Østerbro [2100], Copenhagen

Linkedin: /athanasia-dekouli

Behance: /athanasiadekouli

Instagram: @oh.snapdragons

ASSISTANT SET & COSTUME DESIGNER [INTERSHIP]

The National Theatre of Greece

Projects:

Anton Chekhov - “The Bear”

Mark Twain - “The Prince and the Pauper”

bRANDED COLLECTION FOR GIFT SHOP

VAVO | Designing a branded collection for the gift shop of the Museum of Folk Art & Tradition “Aggeliki Chatzimichali”

BA in Interior Architecture - University of West Attica 2021

This case study focuses on applied research, specifically the creation of a comprehensive design program for the Museum of Folk Art & Tradition Angeliki Chatzimichali [MFATAC]. The museum has been operating without a gift shop for several years, and this case study investigates the significance of establishing one, highlighting the importance of the organization and the contributions of the first Greek folklorist, Angeliki Chatzimichali.

The essay explores a potential source of profit and recognition for the museum by examining its favorable location, attractive facade, and history, as well as its direct connection to the folklorist, Aggeliki Chatzimichali. We believe that a targeted promotion strategy could successfully complete the museum's profile and enable it to remain relevant today. In addition, our personal aspiration is to explore a, perhaps, underestimated field of design which gradually begins to be redefined, with the development of Greek souvenirs.

The proposed design includes the creation of a new, distinctive, and recognizable brand called VAVO. The brand represents a collection of commemorative items that could be exclusively promoted through the MFATAC gift sho p. VAVO's graphic visual image analyzes and translates the philosophy and personality of Angeliki Chatzimichali and, by extension, MFATAC's proﬁle through representations and symbols.

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Speciﬁcally, an innovative visual code is created, i.e., a style guide that includes the explanation of the idea behind the graphic representations. The trademark, the main bearer of the message and the philosophy of the brand and the thematic designs of the collection are designed. The thematic designs of the collection are also created, and the application of the thematic visuals in selected product categories is modeled. Representative types of packaging are designed to inform the consumer about the brand as well as the beneﬁts of the product purchase, and a free product display system/stand that is easy to assemble and disassemble.

The essay employs empirical research to seek solutions to practical problems. It includes a literature review, on-site observation, and competitor analysis. Other tools used in the synthetic process include design illustrations and application models. The design criteria are initially formulated as design principles and are examined to draw conclusions.

The proposed design is considered a sufﬁcient springboard with potential for development in both the visual language itself, enriching the variety of thematic designs, and further expansion in product lines and applications, based on the respective museum audience.

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wEAVED PAPER TECHNIQUES & SELF-PUBLICATION ZINE

“The aesthetics of failure” 2023

The "aesthetics of failure" is a study of paper-weaving techniques that were incorporated into an A6 riso-printed zine. The artworks are made using economic newspapers and pages from a photographic high-end project that were found in Apartamento magazine issue #24. The zines are hand-bound with cotton yarn and printed on recycled paper at Sleep On It Press.

Our perception of the world is partially ﬁltered through social media, a place with unwritten rules of existence. Perfection plays a signiﬁcant role in what is uploaded, selected, and promoted through these digital platforms. This process often leads to a fear of neglect, and individuals may believe that they won't be loved or won't love themselves if they're not perfect.

The weaving techniques represent the effort that creativity requires. What is their relationship with perfection? How can perfection affect creativity? Can one fail at creating? Lastly, does failure have aesthetics?

From the back cover of the zine:

This zine is about adulthood and the struggle with it. It displays every attempt of making an idea as imagined, since it is one of the struggles in the ﬁrst place. Exploring the aesthetics of failure by playing with economic newspapers and ideas that have found their way into expensive design magazines, university assignments and leftover art supplies. Inside the pages of this zine, you will ﬁnd patterns. Patterns of self-improvement behaviours, patterns of forms and digital handwritings that are simply trying to decide how to adult/ what their style is/ where the recipe for success is hidden/ how can one fail/ how can one try again/what is the purpose of art anyway?

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Zine copy Honey comb weave on a cardboard mini-loom.

4 Details of the riso zine.

“Seperation... and other martial arts”

direction: Eythimis Christou - Set design & costume curation

Sﬁga Music Theatre

2021

"Separation... and other martial arts," is set to explore the concept of separation, alienation, displacement, and loss through songs, texts, and poems. The show delves into the movement from place to place, movement through time, and inner-mental movement as well.

The show's director Efthymis Christou, explained that the title of the show was inspired by martial arts, which require full focus on the action at the moment. He compared the intense focus of martial arts to the way all living organisms respond at the time of a breakup. The musical is a thought-provoking, emotional experience that explores the complexities of separation and loss.

What is strange to each person? What unit of measurement is used to measure distances between people? How do people deal with a breakup over the years?

The dry grasslands have been transformed into a scenic location that does not have enough character to remind a speciﬁc place. The planted ﬂowers create the illusion of an almost endless path, blurring the line between the actors and the surroundings. The vintage furniture and objects add to the timeless atmosphere that runs throughout the performance, so all the poems and the songs can narrate the story, in harmony.

The ﬂowers and objects have been carefully chosen in a colorless warm palette to create an effect reminiscent of retro photography. However, they can also be colored with lighting to match the mood of the performance, as well as the directing instructions.

All the costumes are adorned with ﬂoral motifs and incorporate elements from various decades. This gives the impression of time travel, with the audience transported to different eras. The costumes are designed by Dante Men and The Jerkins.

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tHEATRE

“The Prince and the Pauper” direction: Sophia Vgenopoulou - Assistant set & costume designer

National Theatre of Greece 2018

The National Theater of Greece's new children's stage was inaugurated in 2018 with a captivating production of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, ﬂawlessly directed by Soﬁa Vgenopoulou.

The heroes of the fairy tale were brought to life, exquisitely presenting the intricate story. The year of the show coincided with Athens being awarded the coveted title of "World Book Capital 2018" by UNESCO, which inspired the creation of props and teaching objects painted to resemble the old engravings.

The life-bearers of the story, who add depth to the tale, wore vibrant and colorful clothes made of cotton and sweatshirt fabric, providing a sharp contrast to the actors. The sparse setting, creatively designed to accommodate numerous changes required by the directorial vision, was brought to life with the help of clever solutions, including projections of outdoor plans on the canvas.

The costumes, meticulously crafted with an eye for detail, paid tribute to 16th-century English fashion, as referenced in the fairy tale. The actors played multiple roles with ease, thanks to their elaborate costumes, which included many layers and accessories for quick changes.

Despite the demanding nature of the project, it was completed with unwavering passion and love for the theater, thanks to the coordination of many relevant departments working under a tight schedule.

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s HAPING AND DESIGNING AN OUTDOOR, PUBLIC PATIO

“Spatial narratives”

BA in Interior Architecture - University of West Attica

2019

The building complex located on Piraeus Street is an extensive structure that covers almost the entire block. The complex's external conﬁguration aims to reintegrate the previously neglected uncovered area back into the urban fabric, thereby making it accessible to the public.

The design concept of the complex is centered around the building's uses and users. Several signiﬁcant milestones in the building's history have inspired the design. The building complex has a rich history that includes its use as an orphanage, the city’s main Chinese market, residences, as well as the architect's ambitious vision of creating an "American-style" shopping center.

Through the analysis of various elements, we have been able to create an outdoor space that facilitates the coexistence of young and old individuals.

In designing the outdoor space of the building, we were confronted with the challenge of breaking away from the linear progression of storytelling, which we accomplished by introducing checkered lines on either side of the atrium's entrances and exits. The placement of these lines [as essential design gestures] was informed by the building's past and present uses, and they are intended to serve as a reference to the four historical points in time of the building.

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Cross Section to Millerou Street Longitudinal Section towards Agesilaou Street

ered lines was made possible by deconstructing the linear way of reading, which has allowed us to avoid ending the historical course of the build-

Each stop in the atrium has a reference to the four elements of our analysis, placed in a manner that avoids explicit reading and conveys an ambiguity in the interpretation of the signs' time.

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oTHER PROJECTS

An overview of a range of student and personal projects. 2017-2020

9 Video Art Installation “Typo” [Loggia Sofokleous, Athens, Greece] 2017 Recycled Paper Scupltural Installation Inspired by Italo Calvino’s : “Invisible Cities” 2019