Answers on a postcard… from the creator behind Athens Surreal

Welcome to the second instalment of Answers on a Postcard, where I chat with some of my favourite creatives. I’m especially excited about this one—it’s with someone whose work I’ve admired for a while, and it’s on a topic we all need to wrap our heads around: AI.

Tina Marinaki is the mind behind the Instagram account @Athens_Surreal, where she shares AI-generated images that reimagine Athens beyond any practical or rational limits. Originally from Athens and now based in New York, Tina trained as an architect but has recently been captivated by the creative possibilities of AI. Athens Surreal explores dreamy, utopian visions of the city, blending imagination with technology, and has grown into a broader exploration of how AI can push artistic and conceptual boundaries.

Here, I talk with her about the city of Athens, the art of a good prompt, and why we can all relax a little—AI isn’t here to replace human creativity (hurrah!).

Q: Tell me about Athens Surreal and how it began. 

A: Athens Surreal began as a spontaneous experiment with AI, a way to learn the tools while reimagining the city through new lenses—romantic, utopian, futuristic, even cinematic. The project examines Athens’ spatial character, asking what the city might look like if its familiar traits were inverted, and the surreal quality emerged naturally as AI brought even the most improbable ideas to life. As an architect, I’m drawn to reinterpreting space, and AI lets me quickly turn abstract concepts into striking visuals. Sharing them on Instagram expanded the work beyond architecture, sparking conversations about how we perceive, imagine, and interact with the city in new ways.

Q: Why the focus on Athens? What does Athens mean to you?

A: Athens became the focus of my work because I know the city intimately and understand what each image needs to capture. Working with AI means translating ideas into precise prompts, which requires both a clear vision and deep knowledge of the subject. For me, Athens is more than a hometown—it’s a city of contrasts, rich in history yet constantly evolving. Through Athens Surreal, I reinterpret this landscape by blending the city’s ancient heritage with futuristic visions. Using AI, I can move beyond physical constraints to create dreamlike, utopian scenarios that honor the city’s identity while inviting viewers to reimagine its possibilities.

Q: Who or what inspires you? 

A: My inspiration comes from cinema, architecture, photography, art, painting—and everyday life. Influences include Wes Anderson, Denis Villeneuve, and Edward Hopper, though even a poem can spark an image as I imagine its emotions, atmosphere, or a scene within a space.

Q: Can you walk us through your creative process and the role of prompts? Do you stick to one AI platform, or use several?

A: The art of a good prompt starts with a clear vision. Translating that vision into an image means carefully shaping and sequencing words so the AI produces the desired result. While algorithms add an element of randomness, the process is still driven by human imagination and refined through continuous experimentation—tweaking parameters, adding or removing words, and testing variations. I work across multiple AI platforms, each offering different styles, textures, and atmospheres. This flexibility allows every image to take on its own character while staying true to the core idea.

Q: There’s a playfulness in your work. Where does that come from, and why do you think humor matters in creativity?

A: I think playfulness opens up space for imagination to thrive. When ideas are presented with a light touch, they can spark conversations that feel approachable but still carry meaning.

Q: Do you have a favorite Athens Surreal image or project?

A: I have a few. One is the series This Room is for Crying, and another reimagines Athens with its long-buried rivers restored, filled with colorful inflatable rings. Some works respond directly to events in Greece. After the 2023 wildfires, for instance, I created a piece inspired by a poem from Argyris Hionis, where trees—tired of human ingratitude—uproot themselves and leave people to face the consequences. During the general elections, I shared an image of animals voting instead of people, a surreal critique of politics. Projects like these show how AI lets me mix imagination, storytelling, and social commentary in ways that are both playful and meaningful.

Q: How do you think AI is reshaping the way premium travel and lifestyle brands create content and tell stories?

A: AI gives brands incredible flexibility to visualize ideas and experiment with new aesthetics without the limits of traditional production. It can conjure dreamlike destinations, reinterpret spaces, or bring to life experiences that might be impossible—or too costly—to capture in reality. It also lets brands show a more playful side and connect with wider audiences.

Q: What’s one common misconception about AI in content creation that small businesses and marketers should move past?

A: A big one is the idea that AI can replace human creativity—or that it’s just a money-saving shortcut. AI can generate images, text, or concepts quickly, but it can’t invent the story, the emotion, or the intention behind them. Think of it as an amplifier for human imagination, not a replacement. The quality always depends on the clarity of the idea and the creativity guiding it. AI can make the visuals—but the vision has to come from people.

Q: For premium brands, emotional storytelling is everything. How can AI enhance—rather than dilute—a brand’s authenticity?

A: It really comes down to how thoughtfully it’s used. Brands need to be clear about what they want to achieve and choose tools that support that goal. AI shouldn’t be passed off as a real photo or traditional VFX—it works best when it embraces its dreamlike, imaginative side. That’s how I approach Athens Surreal: I don’t pretend the images are real. Instead, I create atmospheres that could never exist, leaning into imagination as the heart of the experience.

Q: What excites you most about the future of AI in creative content?

A: Its ability to push the limits of imagination. AI lets us test ideas that were once impossible, at a speed and scale we’ve never had before. For creators and brands, that means new narratives, aesthetics, and experiences are suddenly within reach. What excites me most is AI’s potential as a true collaborator—combining human intuition and emotion with machine-generated possibilities to create work that feels both innovative and deeply engaging.

Q: What does the future hold for Athens Surreal? Where would you like to take it?

A: I’m still exploring, but I’d love to expand it beyond Instagram into immersive storytelling and collaborations that bridge architecture, art, and technology. My vision is for Athens Surreal to grow into a platform for experimentation, creativity, and dialogue about how we imagine and experience urban space.

Follow Tina @Athens_Surreal and sign up to my mailing list to find out who’s up next in the interview series.