Advertising Campaign for the Nikos Engonopoulos archive at the Athens School of Fine Arts
Advertising Campaign for the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos at the Athens School of Fine Arts
Zekio Ergisa
Import
Nikos Engonopoulos was one of the most multifaceted and emblematic figures of the Greek artistic avant-garde of the 20th century, with work spanning poetry and painting, surrealism and Greek tradition. His archive, which is housed in the Athens School of Fine Arts, is a living treasure, capable of inspiring, teaching and mobilizing new readings of modern Greek art. In this context, a comprehensive advertising campaign is planned with the aim of highlighting the archive to the general public, activating cultural memory and bridging the past with the present. The advertising campaign for the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos is an important initiative for the promotion of Greece's cultural heritage. Through the utilization of modern technologies and the integration of Engonopoulos' work into educational and cultural programs, the campaign can contribute to the wider recognition and appreciation of the work of this great artist.
Objectives
The present thesis aims to promote the attempt to digitize the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos kept at the Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA). The importance of digitizing Engonopoulos' archive will be examined and the challenges and opportunities presented by his advertising will be highlighted, proposing a comprehensive campaign strategy for its promotion to the general public. The main goal is to highlight the importance of archival material, both as evidence of his artistic creation and as a mirror of the historical, aesthetic and ideological conjuncture in which he acted.
The campaign does not just aim at the communication of the digital archive but seeks to transform the archive of Engonopoulos into a dynamic platform for the creation, participation and re-approach of his work, utilizing modern means and strategies of cultural communication. In this text, the objectives, the strategy and the main tools of the campaign are analyzed, focusing on the reintegration of Engonopoulos into public debate, cultural education and the artistic inspiration of the younger generations.
This work also aims to strengthen the image of the Athens School of Fine Arts as a guardian of Greek artistic heritage and to attract visitors, collaborations and funding through its cultural activity. Through strategic communication, the aim is to highlight the archive not only as research material but also as a source of inspiration and creation, thus contributing to the theoretical debate around Greek surrealism, placing Engonopoulos in the broader European and domestic artistic context.
Finally, the ambition of the research project is to create bases for future studies and possible exhibitions or publications with archival material, thus enhancing the access of the public and researchers to the work of one of the most important representatives of the Greek avant-garde.
Curriculum vitae
Nikos Engonopoulos (1907–1985) Professor at the National Technical University of Athens, painter, set designer and poet was one of the most emblematic figures of Greek art of the 20th century. He is considered one of the major representatives of the generation of the '30s, while he was also one of the main exponents of the surrealist movement in Greece. His work also includes translations, critical studies and essays. As a poet, painter, set designer and academic, he contributed decisively to the consolidation of surrealism in Greece, giving it a strong Greek identity.
He was born in Athens and spent his school years in Paris (1919–1927), where he came into contact with the European artistic currents of the time. Returning to Greece, he studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts under Konstantinos Parthenis and worked in the workshop of Fotis Kontoglou. He met important personalities of Greek art, such as Yannis Tsarouchis and Dimitris Pikionis.
Artistic Career
Engonopoulos was a pioneer of Greek surrealism, both in painting and poetry. His work is characterized by the coexistence of mythological, historical and contemporary elements, creating a unique artistic universe. His paintings depict fictional heroes from mythology and literature, with references to Hermes, Io, Hercules, Orpheus and Eurydice, Odysseus and Calypso, Thetis and Peleus, Jason and Medea.
In poetry, works such as "Bolívar" (1944) are typical examples of his surrealist writing, combining the Greek tradition with the global artistic current of surrealism.
Academic and Public Action
Engonopoulos taught at the National Technical University of Athens, initially as an assistant in the chair of Decorative and Free Design and later as a professor in the chair of Free Design and as a delegate to the chair of General History of Art. His academic career ended in 1973 with his retirement.
The Archive of Nikos Engonopoulos at the Athens School of Fine Arts
Content and Significance
The archive of Nikos Engonopoulos, hosted at the Athens School of Fine Arts, includes paintings, poems, set designs, personal notes and correspondence. It is a valuable resource for understanding his artistic career and his contribution to Greek culture. The preservation and promotion of the archive is crucial for the promotion of Greece's cultural heritage and the strengthening of the country's cultural identity.
Challenges and Opportunities
The promotion of Engonopoulos' archive faces challenges, such as the limited recognition of his work among the general public and the need for modern methods of presentation. However, it also presents significant opportunities, such as the use of digital technologies for the accessibility of the archive and its integration into educational programs.
Advertising Campaign Strategy
Campaign Goals
The advertising campaign concerning the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos mainly aims to enhance the recognition of his multifaceted work among the general public, highlighting his unique contribution to Greek culture. At the same time, it seeks to increase the traffic of the archive hosted at the Athens School of Fine Arts, attracting visitors from different audiences and age groups. Finally, the aim of the campaign is to actively contribute to the promotion of Greece's cultural heritage, highlighting through the work of Engonopoulos his artistic and intellectual legacy.
Audience Targeting
The campaign is addressed to a wide and multidimensional audience with the common denominator being the interest in art and culture. In particular, it is aimed at students and academics active in the fields of arts and humanities, encouraging research and creative engagement with the work of Nikos Engonopoulos. At the same time, it is addressed to artists and professionals in the cultural field, offering them inspiration and an opportunity for dialogue with contemporary cultural production. Finally, at the heart of the campaign is the wider public who love Greek art and cultural heritage, strengthening their connection with one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
Means and Methods
Media
The campaign press release must be clear and targeted, providing the recipient with immediate and meaningful information. The presentation of the content is enhanced by the use of images or the integration of QR codes that point directly to the digital platform of the file, thus offering a more interactive experience. The central axis of the bulletin is the promotion of Nikos Engonopoulos' contribution to the formation of modern Greek identity, illuminating the importance of his work in the contemporary cultural dialogue. At the same time, special emphasis is placed on the role of technology as a means of preserving and disseminating cultural heritage, enhancing the connection between the past and the present and the future.
Traditional Media (TV, Radio, Newspapers)
Television
- Interviews and tributes to cultural broadcasts (e.g. ERT – Sta Akra, The Time Machine).
- Production of a short TV commercial (15–30 sec) in order to raise awareness of the project and its importance.
- An attempt to cover the news bulletins as cultural news (ideally with the start of digitalization or the presentation of the platform).
Radio
- Presentation of the campaign through interviews on cultural radio stations (e.g. Kosmos, Third Programme).
- Audio spot with a narrative approach: excerpts from poems with a musical background, signed "The world of Engonopoulos lives digitally".
Newspapers & Magazines
- Press releases in the cultural departments of major newspapers (Kathimerini, To Vima, Efimerida ton Syntakton).
- Articles/interview with editors or scientific team.
- Collaboration with publications such as "LIFO", "Athens Voice", or "Blue" of Aegean to present the project with a friendlier approach.
Digital Media & News Sites
Online Media
- Distribution of press releases to sites with high readability (e.g. in.gr, iefimerida, lifo.gr, news247.gr, protagon.gr).
- Interviews or selected tributes on cultural portals such as elculture.gr, monopoli.gr, ogdoo.gr.
- Collaborations with Podcasts & Web Shows
- Participation in cultural podcasts (e.g. The Parliament Channel, Pod.gr, Booktalks).
- Create a short documentary/mini doc and promote it via YouTube or Vimeo.
- Creation of a website dedicated to the Engonopoulos archive, with digitized material and interactive applications.
- Use of social media to promote the archive and its activities.
Educational Programs
"Talking with Engonopoulos": Creative Writing Workshops
Students are inspired by his poems and create their own surreal texts. It can be accompanied by dramatizations or audio narrations.
"Painting Poetry": Workshops of Visual Expression
The participants create visual works based on the imagery of Engonopoulos' poetry. A combination of speech and image, with an emphasis on freedom of expression and surrealism.
Digital Tour – "The Archive Comes to Life"
Creation of an interactive workshop where students browse the digital archive and are invited to create their own virtual "exhibitions".
Mini MOOCs or Webinars for the general public
Small lessons (10–20 minutes) to understand Surrealism, its work and its technique.
"Engonopoulos Reloaded" Competition
Panhellenic competition for pupil/student creation (poetry, visual arts, video), inspired by his work.
Exhibitions and Events
- Organization of temporary exhibitions with works by Engonopoulos, accompanied by lectures and seminars.
- Collaboration with cultural institutions for the organization of events dedicated to his work.
Workshops and conferences
The Department of Communication, Media and Culture organized the Workshop "Digital Archiving as a Means of Preserving, Inspiring and Disseminating the Cultural Footprint: The Nikos Engonopoulos Archive". The Workshop presented the findings of the Project 6059 ArchArt "Nikos Engonopoulos Archive: digitization, documentation and publication", which was implemented with funding from the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (ELIDEK) and the scientific responsibility of Professor Elizabeth Arseniou.
The following topics were presented:
"Literary archives: the case of the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos", Efstathia Politi, Historian-PhD candidate, Department of Archives, Librarianship and Information Systems, University of West Attica
"The classification of the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos", Evi Mitsopoulou, postgraduate student of the Department of Archives, Librarianship and Information Systems, University of West Attica
"Engonopoulos Archive, research and initial conclusions-visual arts" Dr. Eleana Margariti, postdoctoral researcher, Athens School of Fine Arts
"The process of digitization and the handling of the presumption – From the drawer to the public sphere. Contact with the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos" Thanos Makris researcher – visual artist, PhD candidate of the Athens School of Fine Arts
"About archives dialogues. Following the example: NIKOS ENGONOPOULOS ARCHIVE" Katerina Niagasa, graduate of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University
"The archive of Nikos Engonopoulos and his research calls" Dr. Charalambos Otampasis, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University
"Nikos Engonopoulos – M. Karagatsis, the "heretical" children of the Generation of the 1930s" Panos Felekis, PhD candidate of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University
"A manuscript by Nikos Engonopoulos: identifying names and titles and mapping influences" Anna Efthymaki, graduate of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University
"The archive of Nikos Engonopoulos as a place: Tools of Creative Writing and the search for urban inspiration" Maria Stamataki PhD candidate of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University
Theatrical lectern on the occasion of an archive "How the fish learned English" Text – Direction: Andreas Flourakis, Reading: Menelaos Hazarakis, Cleopatra Tologou
Finally, the student presentations by fourth-year students with their work on the Engonopoulos Archive were presented. The papers were prepared after the students' direct contact with the archive, as part of the course "Modern Greek Literature and Mass Media" Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University, taught by Professor Elisavet Arseniou.
In the context of the elaboration of the works, digital media, social networks, audiovisual content, podcasts, websites, paintings, garments designed in the light of Engonopoulos' surrealistic gaze, and several on-site experience actions were used.
Promotion Strategies
The campaign's promotion strategies are designed with the aim of maximizing impact and creating a meaningful connection with the public, through targeted and time-sensitive interventions. A key axis is the timing of the communication plan with important anniversaries or events related to Nikos Engonopoulos, such as the date of his birth or death, thus enhancing the emotional and symbolic charge of the campaign. At the same time, the momentum is exploited through impressive "unveiling" of important material, such as the first digitization of a manuscript, which can act as a communicative catalyst. In addition, the group is expected to actively participate in cultural panels and discussions, with the participation of journalists and press representatives, enhancing the public presence of the project and creating networks of dialogue and cooperation around the cultural heritage of Engonopoulos.
Evaluation and Feedback
The effectiveness of the campaign will be evaluated through:
- Website and social network traffic statistics.
- Participation in educational programs and events.
- Questionnaires and interviews with visitors and participants.
The press kit of the campaign is a comprehensive information material that aims at the correct and targeted promotion of the project. It includes biographical data of Nikos Engonopoulos, offering the public a brief but essential framework for his life and contribution to Greek art and literature. It is accompanied by archival images with guaranteed rights of use, as well as representative samples of the digitized material, highlighting the richness of the archive. The material is complemented by a reference to the objectives of the campaign and the institutions involved in the project, highlighting the collective effort to save and promote our cultural heritage. Finally, active links to the official website, social media and the dates of the relevant events are provided, facilitating direct access and participation of the public.
Conclusions
The campaign for the archive of Nikos Engonopoulos is an extremely important cultural initiative, as it aims to preserve, document and highlight the work of one of the most emblematic representatives of Greek surrealism. Engonopoulos, in his capacity as a poet and painter, left behind a rich and multifaceted archive that includes manuscripts, correspondence, drawings, paintings, as well as personal notes that shed light on his creative career and his contribution to the formation of contemporary Greek artistic identity. The preservation of this archive is not just a matter of historical responsibility; It is an act of respect for our national cultural heritage. Through this campaign, the general public, as well as scholars and students, are given the opportunity to come into direct contact with the artist's primary material, to understand his artistic pursuits more deeply and to re-evaluate the importance of his work in the Greek and international cultural context. In addition, the preservation of the archive is a powerful antidote to cultural oblivion, offering at the same time inspiration and fertile ground for new creative approaches. At a time when the evidence of the past is in danger of being lost or discredited, such campaigns highlight the enduring value of cultural memory and the importance of society's active participation in its preservation.
Bibliography
https://www.nationalgallery.gr/artist/engonopoulos-nikos/
