Bend is an Athens/Greece based design studio which strongly believes in good, functional design as much as in effective art direction. The studio was founded by Giorgos Axiotis and Odysseas Tsolkas in January 2005 after a course of studies abroad and common participation in numerous local projects (Biofighter/Bios 01/Bios 02/ Bios space). The team expanded in 2010 with the addition of Viktor Gogas.
Their interests lie in the wide spectrum of visual communication but they specifically work in the fields of graphic design, illustration, typography and interactive media.
After almost ten years of shared practice, Bend have offered their skills to a considerable number of clients such as arts and cultural institutions, public organisations, festivals, publishers, newspapers, music venues, record stores, fashion and advertising companies.
Beyond their professional practice, Bend use an alternative art platform under the name of Μπλάκ Εν Ντέκερ (Black EN Decker). This doppelgänger aims in covering creative needs beyond the mainstream market and usually manifests through a variation of media. Stencils, stickers, posters, dj sets, vj sets, concerts, small run releases and other stuff can be found in their hidden armory.
Awards
– EBGE 2010 (Greek Graphic Design Awards) / Best Poster
– EBGE 2011 (Greek Graphic Design Awards) / Best Logo
– EBGE 2011 (Greek Graphic Design Awards) / Best Cultural Event Catalogue
– EBGE 2012 (Greek Graphic Design Awards) / Merit – Poster Design
– EBGE 2012 (Greek Graphic Design Awards) / Merit – Cultural Event Catalogue
Exhibitions
– Anathena 2006, Deste Foundation, Athens/Greece
– Design Walk, Athens 2008, B-Station, Athens/Greece
– Design Panorama, Athens 2008, Athens College, Athens/Greece.
– Mapping Festival, Geneva, 2010, Switzerland.
– 45 Bands 50×70 vol.2, 2011, If-Untitled Architects, Talc Design Studio, The Hub, Athens/Greece.
– Crisis is a Greek Word, Izmir/Turkey, Sofia/Bulgaria, 2013.
– Greek Graphic Design, Sofia/Bulgaria, 2013.
Publications
– Pictoplasma, Character Encyclopaedia, November 2006, Peter Thaler, Lars Denicke, Berlin/Germany.
– Anathena – Art from the underground penthouse in Athens, Christos Lalios, Marina Fokidi, March 2007, Metaixmio Publications, Athens/Greece.
– On the Road, Kyriakos Iosifidis, December 2007, Metaixmio Publications, Athens/Greece.
– +Design Magazine, Issue 69, 2010, Athens/Greece.
Clients
– Onassis Cultural Centre
– Thessaloniki International Film Festival
– Greek Film Centre
– Greek Film Archive
– Athens Festival / Greek Festival
– Deste Foundation
– Goethe Institut
– Eleftherotypia Newspaper
– Kathimerini Newspaper
– Avgi Newspaper
– Folie Folie
– Vinyl Microstore
– Silence Fiction Society