Antigoni Chryssanthopoulou 09/17/2010
 I’ve met Antigoni Chryssanthopoulou aka inogitna via the meet market sessions but only realized the variety and depth of her artistic expressions after a close look through of her inspiring portfolio. So get ready to get swept away by amazing visuals and fantastic urban photography explorations! Hello Antigoni and welcome to the EC Blog! How and when did you start actively working as a graphic designer? Hello Aphrodite; thank you for having me at EyeCandies! I started working in 1993, right after my studies at VAKALO School of Art and Design. My first job was at the Creative Department of certain Advertising Company at Kolonaki, Athens, where I remained for approximately 1.5 year. For the next 8 years I worked mainly as free lancer and I cooperated with various advertising and publishing firms, design studios and individuals. Because I love traveling, I used to be away from my home city for approximately 3-4 months per year. The fact that, when returning home, I always looked for new job assignments and for interesting projects was rather beneficial for me, because this way I became experienced in many graphic design sectors. During the last 8 years I am devoted to my work, but I still travel whenever I have some time.  I currently work as Art Director at a small advertising company and at the same time I undertake various projects as free lancer. I also work a lot with photography, which is my second major passion, and has become one more creative outlet for my artistic visions.   Talk to us about the inspiring custom design work you did for Cruel Candy. Cruel Candy is a very dear friend of mine. I was thrilled when she asked me to design her identity. I believe that I have the talent to “catch” the deepest personal core of any of my clients and to push it forward in my design, while at the same time the information given is communicated with clarity, in order to outreach the target group, but also the largest possible audience (well – this is the goal of graphic design after all!). Especially in this particular assignment, and exactly because I know this person very well and I care for her, I became rather obsessed! For one full month my mind was full of thoughts and ideas, which succeeded one another, without having the faintest clue as for the final outcome. I used to search indefinitely for my material on the internet, in books, everywhere, without having made any draft. Finally, I made the Cruel Candy illustration in one night, almost impulsively, within one hour only. When I looked at the image I knew that this was totally Cruel Candy! I sent it to her right away and we decided that, yes, we go on with it!   Who is your favorite designer / artist / crafter and why? This is a very difficult question. Really, at this moment I am not in a position to pinpoint just one. I could mention several reknowned illustrators, designers, architects, etc, whom I admire and who have certainly influenced me deeply. However, because I always like seeing new things, I am interested in various creative communities and internet portfolios – especially behance. I can just mention ONLY VERY FEW of the persons that I have marked out at certain points in time, because they inspire me and because I am happy to be in dialog with them. (Of course I love a lot of greek artists and designers, but I can’t name them all.........!!!) http://www.behance.net/matthewb http://www.behance.net/theatomicghost http://www.behance.net/seanballdesign http://www.behance.net/marcdacunhalopes http://www.behance.net/amv256 http://www.behance.net/milen http://www.behance.net/moshik http://www.behance.net/Pixel_Junglist   What was your latest most challenging and exciting project? I could refer to my Berlin Pieces series of photographs. It is neither the latest nor the most challenging, but it is an example of what I described above, meaning the images of spots that nobody “sees”. I took these pictures last Christmas in Berlin. They show interior window panes at the building of Tacheles arthouse, at Oranienburger street. Very small details, among the numerous graffiti and collages, which cover the whole building top down. The light was great (it had just snowed) and it beautifully diffused through the windows. This is what gives the impression that the outcome has been processed on the computer, while it is not! These pictures are exactly as I shot them, without any further intervention, for example color adjustments or whatsoever.  Describe your current mood by using a link (image, video etc) Any future plans you’d like to share with us? Or anything else you’d like to add? I would like to add something. I love art in general. I understand that graphic design is a lot more disciplined; it does not provide the art’s freedom of expression, because it serves a very concrete goal. However, graphic design fascinates me, because the things that a graphic designer makes come to direct contact with the broader public on a daily basis – and they are also of usage.  What I mean is that it is not necessary to visit a gallery to see them; the whole city becomes a large gallery, open to all, a gallery full of posters, magazines, books, brochures, labels, packages, illustrations – whatever we design. Most of the times people do not know who has designed all these things, which of course is blow against our human vanity, but … it doesn’t matter! That’s life! :D As far as it concerns the future, I am open to any new cooperation and adventure to come! LINKS: […] www.behance.net/inogitna www.myspace.com/inogitna E-MAIL: inogitnafree@gmail.com  |
