The past inspires the 2004 future
Athena and Phevos are not ordinary mascots. They have little in common with other Olympic Games’ mascots which were designed in imitation of single animals; they lack fur or feathers, and they have human characteristics. The reference is to ancient Greek civilization though the connection is not immediately apparent and they do not subscribe to marketing laws, which would have preferred a more eye-catching symbol. After a rather lukewarm reception from the Greek public, the man in charge of the team that created Phevos and Athena, Spyros Gogos, is unsurprised at the reaction: «I am sure that once Phevos and Athena become a part of our daily lives, everyone will feel differently,» he said to Kathimerini. Gogos is a graduate of the School of Fine Arts and of a technical college in design, and his team, Design Paragraph, is composed of young artists and graphic designers: Amaryllida Costaropoulou, Pavlos Xenikoudakis, Stavros Karagilanis, Stathis Savvidis and Julia Christogiorgou. Approximately one year ago, they entered the 2004 competition for a mascot, vying against another 195 local and foreign groups. The judges’ panel was composed of National Gallery Director Marina Lambraki-Plaka, painter Dimitris Mytaras, cartoon artists KYR and members of the 2004 administrative staff. Phevos and Athena were selected among another seven runners-up. «I think that the public’s reaction was normal,» argues Gogos. «We created something they weren’t expecting: two instead of one, people instead of animals. We really wanted to highlight the concept of the team spirit in our selections. We did a lot of research before committing ourselves to this design. We were not too scared to take a risk, and I think that in the long run, we have gained from it.» The team was inspired to create Phevos and Athena by a bell-shaped figurine that dates back to the original Olympic Games. The ancient Greeks called it a daedalic figurine and a small piece of wire connected to its feet gave it some movement. Though the origins of Phevos and Athena are ancient Greek, many of their critics argued that Design Paragraph failed to reflect a Greek quality: «I wouldn’t say they don’t have a Greek quality. Our dolls combine a game with children and sports, as well as antiquity,» explains Gogos. «What could better connect the past and the new Games we want to organize? The reference to the ancient Greek figure is a good motive for people to seek the mascots’ origin. The most important thing for Phevos and Athena’s designers is not whether their dolls will meet with commercial success, but whether they will be loved by children. «Children formed the basis for our whole thinking,» he says.
