April 3, 2026 | vol 17
ATHENIAN FREQUENCIES
words & interviews Nicolas Vamvouklis
Athens hums with a renewed creative charge — a mix of art, design, and experimentation that feels both grounded and electric. From virtual worlds to sensual furniture, from rebellious branding to edible architecture, a generation of Greek talents is redefining how creativity looks, feels, and tastes. We met four of them to talk about inspiration, identity, and power.
THEO TRIANTAFYLLIDIS
Visual Artist
portrait photo / Nikos Katsaros
Your work sits between tech, fantasy, and performance. What’s been sparking your imagination lately?
There are too many sparks right now — it feels like the world is on fire. I’ve been having a lot of apocalyptic daydreams about climate wars and trying to turn that anxiety into creative material.
You’ve turned virtual space into something intimate. What’s the secret ingredient?
I always try to approach technology critically, to find an emotional and bodily response to it. Making digital worlds tactile, sensory, and a bit awkward gives people a way to enter the work instead of standing across from it. And then, sometimes, if we’re lucky, a certain magic brings the work to life — and it starts speaking on its own.
Does being Greek influence the worlds you create, or are they from another planet entirely?
I’ve been struggling with that question for a while. “Greekness” for me is more about a connection to geography and a way of thinking — a spirit of place, and a pragmatic approach to both aesthetic and technical challenges. That attitude seeps into everything I make.
Any exciting shows coming up?
We recently opened If/Then at the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw, on view until February 2026. We built a fully functional Polish version of the “Feral Metaverse” catapult. It’s a really fun show — don’t miss it.
POLINA MILIOU
Designer & Sculptor
portrait photo Giorgos Sfakianakis
You make pieces that are both furniture and characters. How do you want people to live with them?
My pieces appear organic and animated, yet they also suggest monumental or sacred geometry. It’s this ambiguity I want people to experience: moments when they feel caught in the act, mid-gesture, and others when they seem serene and poised.
Your sculptures feel alive. What’s been inspiring you these days?
Throughout my practice, I explore femininity as fluidity, strength, nurture, and playfulness. Lately, womanhood has been a recurring subject. I notice that during a woman’s thirties, there’s a period of heightened awareness — of body, of experience — a transformation. So right now, I’m inspired by “a 35-year-old woman.”
What does a good day in the studio look like?
Music, orange light, the sound of tools and slaps, coffee, then more decaf. Drawing symbols through self-invented puzzle games. And for some reason, having a horror movie playing in the background always helps.
Where in Athens do you go when you need a creative reset?
In summer, I go to the beach to collect rocks, pebbles, and bits of plastic. In winter, to parks for flowers and leaves. They’re tiny but full of information — something always clicks. And if I really need to reset, I’ll just go for a margarita with ice in Kypseli.
NIKOS GEORGOPOULOS
Art Director & Founder of Marlon Tate
Let’s start with the name. Who is Marlon Tate?
It’s the creative agency I founded in 2022, with offices in Athens, London, Jupiter, and Mars. The last two are, of course, mythical — but we like to keep the dream alive. The name itself is pure fiction, borrowed from Marlon Brando’s first name and Sharon Tate’s last.
Tell me about this cosmic expansion. What’s the view like up there?
As good as one can imagine. Our journey has always been imaginary, and honestly that’s where its strength lies. When everything begins in the mind, there are no limits to what you can build.
Your universe is full of bold color and attitude. What drives this sense of rebellion?
Probably my need to find balance — to preserve the space between madness and vulnerability. I’ve always been like that. Launching my own agency gave me the freedom to build a team and collectively pursue the kind of work I truly believe in. We blend fiction and surreal storytelling to create viral ads, fictional news, made-up brands, and moments of star power — often just for our own amusement.
If design could say one thing about our time, what would it shout?
Nothing is really impossible. You just have to close your eyes and imagine it. Design is a force — it storms through boundaries, breaks assumptions, and reshapes what we thought we knew.
How does the Greek capital feed your creativity?
I was born and raised in Athens, and even after more than a decade in London, I always imagined a kind of heroic return. The city inspires me not only through its vibrant cultural energy but also on a deeper, emotional level.
KAROLOS MICHAILIDIS
Architect & Cook
You call yourself “The Food Architect.” How do design and gastronomy come together in your world?
They represent the two sides of my personality — balancing between structure and spontaneity. Designing a dish is not unlike designing a space: both orchestrate light, shape, and texture. I often say that senses like sound and light coexist with flavor. A meal is more than what’s on the plate.
What are your all-time favorite recipes?
I always return to pastitsio — a comforting layering of tradition and technique; a humble chickpea soup that becomes a canvas for aromatics; and delicate tarts, both sweet and savory, that allow freedom and intention, adapting to every season.
If you had to choose one cuisine beyond the Mediterranean, which would it be?
Impossible to pick one. Japanese for its precision and reverence to nature; Italian for its soulful simplicity; French for its rigor; Vietnamese for its balance and freshness. Each carries a philosophy that resonates with how I approach design and flavor. There is no creation without tradition, and vice versa.
What inspires your next dish or the way you curate an experience?
Inspiration springs from memory, landscape, and material form — fields I cultivate both as architect and cook. I design each dish like a space: through rhythm and contrast. Every experience should feel like a dialogue between nature, emotion, and the senses.
And what does Athens bring to your table?
It feeds me with contrasts — ancient and contemporary, loud and slow, raw and poetic. Beneath its grey surfaces lies a rhythm that sparks curiosity and imagination. Its markets, cafés, and hidden corners remind me that creativity thrives in imperfection.
- The full story is featured in Vol.18 -
