They choose to portray Greece in a way “that breaks loose of a one-dimensional identity. Greece is colorful country; it is not limited to blue and white. Greece is blessed with many shapes and figures; it is not confined to the meanders and the adornment of Ancient Greece and folk tradition. Yorgos Konstantinou and Thanassis Georgiou, graphic designers and illustrators of Romiosini editions, distance themselves from the deep-rooted images attributed to Greece by Germans. By and large, these images revolve around ancient times, the stereotype of Greece as a tourist destination, or folklore references. Yorgos Konstantinou enlightens us as to the modern path they chose to go down. “A stripped-down approach, with clean cut lines and shapes, placing emphasis on the content; on the essence of message delivered by contemporary Greek literature and present-day Greek culture.”

Romiosini editions showcase an up-to-date literature that focuses on contemporary ideas, while the books’ covers abide by the same pattern, featuring all-embracing and universal images. “In our covers, Greek identity is not a constraining factor, as the covers focus on the content, rather than the Greek origins of the literary works.”

The “Edition Romiosini” publishing program, launched by the Center for Modern Greece (CeMoG), serves a scientific and cultural vision: the publishing of a representative corpus of Greek literature, translated into the German language, and the setting up of a digital library of modern Greek literature and modern Greek studies. The aim of this project is to promote modern Greek literature in the German-speaking countries and fill an existing gap in Germany’s publishing landscape.

“The restart of Romiosini editions was a laborious venture. The foundation was laid through a meaningful communication with CeMoG that allowed us to define a common ground to meet the project’s needs and draw the basic guidelines of Romiosini.” The duo weighed and delved into the historic value of the publishing house and took into account the limitations and liberties of the academic environment, seeking for creative solutions to capture a recognizable Greek identity, with open horizons and freed from stereotypes. “Our books’ aesthetic is at once unadorned and functional, endowed with a distinct and trademark character. We elaborated a proposal that brings forth the quality of the work, emitting a fresh, Mediterranean, yet discreet lightness. Α modernist approach that breaks free from the standardized aesthetic profile of academic editions, friendly and appealing to a wide German-speaking audience.”