Jenny up the Hill is a shop and exhibition space in the center of Ermoupoli, on the Cycladic island of Syros. It offers products ranging from jewelry, design bags, art books and ceramics, to original paintings and other works of art, all created by contemporary artists from Greece and elsewhere.
Jenny is not just another gift shop, but a meeting place for people with an interest in art, culture, and exchange across borders. Every product comes with the story of a maker who has been looking for a way to materialize ideals. As a meeting place, Jenny hosts events where visiting artists talk about their works, giving insight into their background and practice.
The name Jenny up the Hill paraphrases an old Greek saying “Γαïδούρα στον ανήφορο” It refers to a female donkey climbing a hill, and as such, it points to resilience, to an animal with determination, taking its time and not minding its burden or the resistance on the road.
As a brand, Jenny aims to give a different, positive meaning to the word γαïδουρα (female donkey). In Greece, a woman is usually called γαïδουρα when she is unpleasant and inconsiderate. A woman is not supposed to prioritize herself in a traditional, patriarchal society. Jenny wants to turn this idea around and embrace the resilient woman who puts herself in the center and climbs up her mountain.
Jenny up the Hill is an initiative from Vivi Papakosta. Vivi studied political science in Athens and worked for several years in real estate and property management. As she did not feel at home in a mainly profit-oriented culture, she decided to create her own brand, combining fair business practices with broader social interest and values.
Jenny up the Hill also offers an international exhibition program curated by Jurriaan Benschop, author of the books Why Paintings Work and Salt in the Wound: Encountering Contemporary Artists across Europe.