African Design Magazine February 2017 | Page 76

76 africandesignmagazine . com

FEATURE

Achilleas feels humbled and blessed to get to share his work and vision with so many different communities . Born in London , Achilleas grew up with his mom ( of Thai , Austrian , and Italian ancestry ), dad ( half British and half Greek ), and younger brother Adrianos in a wide array of places , including Athens , NYC , Frankfurt , and now Barcelona . Consequently , he is fluent in quite a few languages ; although , he considers the language of “ art ” to be his primary tongue .

For Achilleas , engaging in art goes beyond a simple drawing or design . He values art that tells a story and raises awareness about the issues that matter to him most : human rights , advocacy , cultural identity , wellness , and security . He seeks to do work that makes an impact .
The Souras family fondly recalls a meal they shared at a local eatery in Frankfurt , Germany , back in the summer of 2012 when Achilleas was 12 . Perplexed by the amount of homeless people he saw in the surrounding neighbourhoods , Achilleas abruptly jumped up from the table , dead-set on offering a portion of the unfinished meal to a homeless man he had seen earlier that night camping on the sidewalk . The man , emboldened by this act of kindness , enjoyed every morsel of the food and then felt at ease to finish his meal alongside other patrons on the restaurant ’ s patio , soon afterwards being offered a glass of water , napkins , and utensils by the servers . This spontaneous act that allowed this homeless man to behave and feel as though he , too , could be “ a part of ” mainstream society , encapsulates the sensibility and sensitivity that goads Achilleas , instilling the foundation , moral compass , and springboard that would inform his future accomplishments .
From those early days of doodling , using pens to combine shapes and lines in unusual ways , and making castles and spaceships out of Lego , Achilleas has evolved considerably as an artist . After begging his parents to take art classes and glean fodder and inspiration from the best of them , Achilleas emerged with his own style and compassionate mission for his art . His multicultural upbringing and travels led him to see the good and the notso-stellar universal challenges facing nearly every community , regardless of time , place , and ethnicity . “ Everywhere I go , I see so many people who feel like outsiders … like they are barred from having access to a sustainable life … a life that many of us take for granted .” Achilleas has always believed that shelter is a basic need for everybody . Further affected by the international refugee crisis , the daily media coverage , and startling evidence all around him , Achilleas felt moved to take action . He wondered , “ What can I do ? How can I help ? What do I have to offer to raise awareness ?” For Achilleas , the answer was clear : “ I can speak volumes through my art .”
In 2016 , he conceptualized “ Save Our Souls ” to combine sustainability , recycling , art , and human rights . “ I had just finished an eye-opening summer architecture program at SCI-Arc in California ,” explains Achilleas .
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