Friday 30 October 2009

The Beauties and Beasts books

This research (2007) delves into the  social aspect of fairy-tales through the changing notion of Beauty.

Part of this research resulted in the creation of two books (Antonopoulou, 2007, 2008), both of which explored philosophical discourses on reality and subjectivity.  In these, I explored the connection between fairy-tale ‘fictions’ and ‘factual’ stories. The exploration ranged from fairy-tales that might have been written to propagate ideas (Zipes, 2012; Warner, 1995) to how utopian and dystopian elements within fairy tales may have influenced real life events (from scientific inventions to criminal realities). The second of these two books also traced my own personal experiences in graphic and journal form, providing a conscious reflection on how these had influenced my research choices.


This research been presented in symposia in Goldsmiths University (2008),the Victoria and Albert Museum (2008), the Whitechapel Gallery (2009), Berlin University(2010), Copenhagen University (2009), University of the Arts London,  Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and the Beijing Institute of Graphic Design Communication in China (2010) .




Are fairytales fiction? Are “true” stories reality? 


Discover the connection between fairytales and “true” stories. 

Create different stories as you dive into the "Beauties and Beasts" book and live happily ever after.


moments from the showcase of the project 
at the Victoria and Albert Museum, blood on paper' exhibition



2. Beauties and Beasts big wooden book : The Beauties and Beasts interactive interactive book (above) explores the connection between fact and fiction by reconstructing and remixing 'factual' newspaper stories with fictional tales on Beauties and Beasts. The book offers the opportunity to the reader to create different stories by mixing the two worlds; those of fiction and reality.







3. Beauty and Beast cookies:
Exploring how labels and perceptions might be deceiving. This illustration was created in connection with the 'beauties and beasts' book section where I explored beast's identity. In this piece I wanted to give emphasis at the beast as a poor misunderstood creature, thus sweet as a figure (inspired by King Kong first movie) and Beauty as someone that ultimately hurts the beast. However, it takes sometime to point out that the 'Beauty' eats the heart of the Beast and figure out the cruelty of the piece; it overall looks cute and sweet similarly to the often deceiving nature of Beauty. 


As Angela Carter's mentions 'now as then its simple truth, sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth' 
screen-print of Angela Carter's quote
The entire project is overall a manifestation that writing- designing producing something and allowing for public view, even though it might not be intentionally done as a covered form of propaganda, has actually agency as it is soaked with our personal  ideas and beliefs and values . The cookies piece was used as a self -promotion piece reflecting that my interest in the theme was not only academic but a personal identity discourse, as well as the 'Beauties and Beasts' book was making transparent how my real life emotions and incidents were intertwined with the 'fictions' of the book.



Saturday 18 July 2009

Graphic Design

Animation and Film: E4 Channel, UK | Onedotzero UK

Interaction Design: University of Newcastle | Touchscape | Goldsmiths – University of London | Brown

Product and Fashion Design: University of Newcastle | Attrativo | Paranoia | ToiMoi | ISO 

Social Design: Amnesty International | Act now: Campaign on Guantanamo Bay and surveillance awareness | Dromologia street magazine

Strategy, Advertising and Branding: National Centre of Environment | University of Athens | Greek Ministry of Education | Athens Festival | Epidaurus Festival | TUI | Meda Communication | Prespa National Park | Thiseas: National Development programme | Centre of Greek Language | Open City | Sinpraxis: Collaboration for Employability |Centre of Health Prevention

Exhibition Design: Epen: Environmental Research

Web Design: Equal: National Centre of Environment |Open City |Amnesty International Magazine Design: Amnesty international magazine | Dromologia street magazine


Book Design: Armos Publications (selected titles: ‘Molière: Scapen's Mischiefs’, ‘Homer: The Odyssey’, ‘The castle-teller’, ‘For the sacred and the drama- Drama Approaches’), Iolkos Publications, University of Athens Publications





Magazine published by homeless

Youth magazine

Book Cd











Molier- Book Cover











University Brochure

Website for Touchscape- Interactive surfaces