elc team
What would an ancient Greek amphora look like if it were created in the 21st century? In her latest publication, Amphorae: An Incomplete Compendium of Non-Ancient Greek Vessels, artist Anna Kiosse offers a playful and irreverent answer, transforming one of antiquity’s most iconic objects into a vibrant visual diary of contemporary life.
The book brings together 157 original drawings of decidedly non-ancient vessels. What began as a simple way to fill blank sketchbook pages gradually evolved into a colourful collection where references to classical forms meet spontaneous imagination. Some vessels echo the silhouettes of ancient ceramics, while others emerge entirely from the artist’s intuition.
Across these brightly coloured amphorae, familiar contemporary phrases replace mythological scenes and heroic narratives. “Go with the Flow”, “Nothing Lasts Forever”, “Love Me Harder”, “YOLO”, “Can I Pet Your Dog?” and “I Wish I Was Special” appear handwritten across their surfaces, transforming the amphora into a canvas for modern thoughts, fleeting emotions and everyday observations.
Historically, amphorae served as practical vessels for transporting and storing goods before evolving into highly decorative objects adorned by some of the finest painters of the ancient world. Kiosse imagines what these celebrated artisans might create if they lived today: bold colours, raw punk-inspired lines and words borrowed from conversations, pop culture, love letters and late-night confessions.
The result is a joyful collision of antiquity and contemporary visual culture. Through humour, spontaneity and artistic freedom, Amphorae invites readers to see the classical tradition not as something untouchable, but as a living source of inspiration open to reinterpretation.
Anna Kiosse is an artist, illustrator, ceramicist, graphic designer and author-describing herself as a “Swiss Army knife” of creative practice. Amphorae reflects this multidisciplinary approach, celebrating both the enduring legacy of Greek ceramics and the expressive possibilities of drawing, language and colour.
