Eleanor Lines: Doors of Kypseli – Πόρτες της Κυψέλης

Doors of Kypseli is a serious, beautiful, and meticulously rendered dive into the surprising modernity of mid 20th century Athenian architecture. A compilation of 100 illustrations presenting the diverse array of wrought iron door designs from this culturally and geographically central Athens neighbourhood, Doors of Kypseli is Lines’s love letter to her adopted city.

With camera, or smartphone, in hand, Lines methodically traverses through Kypseli, north, south, east and west, through tiny side streets and down grand boulevards, photographing, cataloguing and selecting the most unique and interesting doors in the neighbourhood and its surrounding borders. Lines’s curation, based on these walks in the area, focuses on designs from the 1930s to the 1960s, with influences from Art Deco, Bauhaus, and modernist design. Using the resulting photos, Eleanor manipulates, vectorizes and perfects each door; replacing missing handles, completing long since rusted bars, and bringing each back to an illustrated version of its former glory. Every design is then converted and printed in astunning signature blue (Marjorelle? Yves Klein?) which serves to enhance the visual impact of the multitudinous patterns.

Accompanied by an insightful essay by cultural writer Nikos Vatopoulos, Doors of Kypseli not only celebrates the beauty of these wrought iron masterpieces, but also delves into the social and historical significance ofAthenian urban development.