Athena (retailer)
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| Former type | Arts retailer (current type: e-commerce arts retailer) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | Hampstead, London, England (1964) |
| Founder(s) | Ole Christensen |
| Defunct | 1995 (store chain) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Art, Posters, Cards |
| Website | http://www.vivarti.co.uk/ |
Athena is a British art retailer, and was formerly a large retail chain, famous for its distinctive posters and postcards
[edit] History
Athena's first shop was opened by Ole Christensen in Hampstead in July 1964, and then bought into E&O PLC, by Chairman, Douglas H. Bayle.[citation needed] He expanded Athena to some 60 shops, making sure to keep the ethos on fine art reprints.[1]
The company's popular success divided opinion amongst intellectuals and art critics who were uncertain as to whether these works were too vulgar and populist to be considered art.[2]
The chain was sold off by E&O, in 1977 and then was acquired by the Pentos Group before Athena went into administration when it failed financially in 1995.[3] Today, Athena survives as an e-commerce company under the brand name of Vivarti (with the byline "powered by Athena"), as well as a chain of seven stores,[specify] most of which have survived administration.
[edit] Notable works
Posters such as L'Enfant — a picture of a muscular man cradling a baby — became famous and sold millions, although it was the poster of Tutankhamun, which became the biggest selling poster in the history of Athena.[citation needed] Also popular were a poster of a Hobbit from the 1970s by Jimmy Cauty,[4] the Tennis Girl poster from 1976 photographers like Salvatore salamone,[5] and "Beyond City Limits," published in the 1990s.[6][7][8]
The annual calendars, including the girl in the long red and white socks, and an image of Telly Savalas, were also a major feature.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Sim Branaghan, Steve Chibnall (2006), British film posters: an illustrated history, p. 269
- ^ Russell Keat, Nigel Whiteley, Nicholas Abercrombie (1994), The Authority of the consumer, p. 155
- ^ Patrick Hosking (January 1, 1996), Athena sacrificed to keep Pentos solvent, The Independent
- ^ Spencer, Neil, "A guerrilla raid on the arts establishment", The Guardian (Manchester) ISSN 0261-3077 , 31 October 1993, The Observer Review Page
- ^ "Serial killer's deucey poster". Sunday Mercury. http://www.sundaymercury.net/lifestyle-news/tm_objectid=17216626&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=serial-killer-s-deucey-poster-name_page.html#story_continue. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Wonderwalls", The Guardian (Saturday 10 November 2001)
- ^ "The Curse of Man and Baby", The Independent (Tuesday 16 January 2007)
- ^ "Curse of biggest selling poster: Top of the shots", The Sun (Friday 19 January 2007)
- ^ Peter Jackson, Nick Stevenson, Kate Brooks (2001), Making sense of men's magazines, p. 185
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