Ismini is a London-based Theatre & Production Designer and qualified Architect from Athens. Holding an MFA in Scenography with Distinction from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and an MA in Architecture from the National Technical University of Athens, she has worked as a designer and art director in theatre, film, commercials, fashion, and architecture in London and Europe. Recent works include As You Like It directed by Neil Bartlett, Fabulous Creatures by Collide Theatre Company, and Codigo Postal touring show in Portugal. She is a visiting designer for East15 Acting School and has collaborated with several London theatres, including the Young Vic, JW3, Hoxton Hall, and the Arcola Theatre. Her artistic practice explores themes of identity, gender roles, and social constructions, often getting involved in politically charged projects that aim to push conventional boundaries in the performing arts realm. Ismini aims to work eco-scenographically, embracing creativity fueled by sustainable practice.

During my MFA in Scenography and work in the theatre industry, I became aware of the significant waste ephemeral performance design generates. This realization was a turning point, as I was shocked by how unsustainable the industry can be. Since then, I have sought to integrate sustainability into my practice, finding innovative ways to repurpose materials and reduce waste.

In my personal projects and stage designs, I have consistently aimed to upcycle and reuse existing materials, transforming them into meaningful artistic expressions. For instance, in my project Terras, I reimagined eight refugee costumes—originally crafted from blankets and sleeping bags for a previous theatre production—into a massive sculptural representation of a concealed, monstrous female body. This work explored themes of transformation and resilience while extending the lifecycle of these materials. In Social Knots, I repurposed ropes with historical and cultural significance, elevating them from tools of labor to installations that reflected their origins and inherent narratives. Similarly, in Código Postal, a Portuguese theatre production, I braided discarded red fabrics from the theatre’s storage and local fabric stores into a sculptural rope, which became a central element of the set design. For Indecent, a theatre production about the journey of a Jewish group, exploring themes of concealment, censorship, and mobility, I repurposed 200 found cardboard boxes. These were transformed into a 5-meter-tall wall, an exposed prop storage installation, and versatile movable furniture, highlighting the duality of functionality and symbolism.

Through my projects, I have committed to finding sustainable practices within my work, demonstrating how discarded materials can be reimagined into powerful, evocative designs that serve both artistic and environmental goals.