A group of Greek creatives have created a series of products to take us on a little Greek holiday all year round – Neo Grec.
Art director, costume and prop designer Danae Konstantinou, in collaboration with acclaimed photographer Kostis Fokas, has created a unique calendar for 2017 by revisiting iconic and sometimes even cult images from Greek postcards dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.
“The idea is to enjoy every year like it’s 365 days of summer,” Danae, also known as D’Arcy Foxx, tells Neos Kosmos.
“Neo Grec is a series of fresh and fun images that depict contemporary Greece from a different point of view, a surreal and sarcastic approach to Greek symbols and stereotypes that merge the ancient, the traditional and the present in a playful way.”
How did you come up with the name?
The term Neo-Grec is actually borrowed from the revival of Neoclassicism in architecture and the arts in the late 19th century, to suggest a rebirth of the ‘New-Greek’ at the moment, the new Greekness.
You are the owner and director of this project – who else is behind it?
There’s a big, talented team involved that made it happen. I’m very happy to have worked with photographer Kostis Fokas on the first edition, I think his style totally matches the vision of this project. The products were designed by This is That creative agency.
When did you come up with the idea and how long did it take you to realise it?
It’s a project I have been working on for the past five years, but the idea was there much earlier as I have been frantically collecting those kitschy summer postcards from all over Greece ever since I was a teenager. I wanted to create something to celebrate the new Greek identity and to remind everyone that despite the economic troubles, Greece is one of the best places to enjoy summer holidays.
It took a while to accomplish because it’s a self-funded project and it hasn’t been easy given the financial situation here, but we managed to complete the production of the photoshoot last spring and launch it a couple of months ago.
It’s pop, fresh, sexy and manages to recreate the ’70s-’80s cult imagery in a modern contemporary way. Tell us a few things about your aesthetic?
I’m totally obsessed with the aesthetic of that period, guilty as charged, I find it visually and sensually appealing but it also has a lightness and a sense of humour. These were the innocent years … I strongly believe it has been one of the most fascinating and influential eras in arts, fashion and music. Meanwhile, it is interesting how at many Greek destinations, on the islands as well as the mainland, not much has changed since the ’80s. It almost feels like being in a time capsule when you visit.
How has Neo Grec been received?
Neo Grec was very well received and appreciated both as an art project as well as a business idea.
Will it be an ongoing project?
The idea is to create more fresh images and more products every year and there’s definitely the will to take it to as many places as possible in the world.
You can find Neo Grec calendars, postcards and fridge magnets in selected stockists in Athens and in many islands. You can also contact the website at www.neo-grec.com or www.facebook.com/neogrecsouvenirs
