Draft:Makis Malafekas

Makis Malafekas (Greek: Μάκης Μαλαφέκας; born 1977, Athens) is a contemporary Greek author acclaimed for revitalizing [[Pulp noir|

Makis Malafekas
Born	1977 (age 47–48) Athens, Greece
Citizenship	Greek
Occupation	Writer
Awards	The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL)

pulp-noir]] fiction in the Greek literary landscape.^[1] Splitting his time between Athens and Paris, Malafekas has published more then a dozen of books, prominently featuring his alter ego, Michalis Krokos—a hard-boiled writer navigating the cultural and existential undercurrents of modern Athens. The first installment of this Athenian pulp series, Athens Undocumented, was translated into French and Italian, marking his growing international recognition.^[2]

Education and early life

Makis Malafekas studied art history and social anthropology in Paris, where he developed a multidisciplinary approach to cultural analysis. He collaborated with the publishing house of the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris and contributed to prominent media outlets including Médiapart, Libération, and Lifo. His academic interests led him to present seminars at the Sorbonne on the history of European comics, exploring the intersection of visual culture and narrative form. He also worked with the School of Fine Arts in Paris, deepening his engagement with contemporary art discourse. His essays and articles have appeared in Libération, Eleftherotypia’s “9”, Lifo, and other publications, reflecting a critical voice attuned to both literary and visual cultures.^[3]

Work

Malafekas divides his time between Athens and Paris, a duality mirrored in his fiction. His literary voice emerged in response to the cultural and economic austerity that gripped Greece in the 2010s, prompting a stylistic shift toward stripped-down realism and genre fiction. His work explores the intersection of crisis, realism, and action-driven narrative, positioning pulp as a genre uniquely suited to reflect the socio-political turbulence of modern Greece.^[4] Malafekas gained recognition with his pulp-noir novel Athens Undocumented (working title in English), the first in a series featuring Michalis Krokos—a mid-forties writer entangled in the cultural vortex of Athens during the 2017 Documenta exhibition. Krokos, though fictional, embodies the existential grit of a city in collapse, navigating a world where action supersedes introspection.

The novel is characterized by minimalist prose, crisis realism, and genre homage.

Malafekas aligns himself with writers like Jean-Patrick Manchette and Charles Bukowski, admiring their ability to depict outcasts with empathy and precision. He rejects romanticized notions of the drunken, tortured artist, emphasizing discipline and optimism as essential to the craft.

His work contributes to a broader movement of Greek writers who engage directly with political and social realities, often participating in public discourse through media and activism.^[5]

Malafekas sees literature as a form of immortality, a way to preserve the emotional and cultural memory of a generation. His pulp-noir fiction offers a lens into the psychological and political undercurrents of contemporary Greece, challenging literary elitism while embracing the ephemeral beauty of genre storytelling.^[6]

Literary Philosophy

Malafekas views pulp as a poetic form born of necessity. He argues that traditional literary conventions—such as elaborate description or psychological exposition—fail to capture the urgency of contemporary life. Instead, his writing privileges momentum, colloquial speech, and the raw texture of lived experience.[1]

“The circumstances are pulp, I have to make a pulp hero,” Malafekas stated in a 2020 interview with journalist Elvira Krithari.

He critiques the pretentiousness of Greek literary norms, advocating for a return to simplicity and immediacy. His heroes speak for themselves, often revealing more through their language than through narrative exposition.

Publications

• Deepfake (Deepfake), Antipodes publications, Athens, 2024.[2]
• Mixed, 2020.
• You are not talking (De les kouventa), 2018
• Another Greek Summer. Asphalte, 2016 ISBN: 9782365331456

Awards

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) 2025^[7]

References

1. Μπακολουκάς, Σεραφείμ. "Η νέο-νουάρ διάσταση της πραγματικότητας". booksjournal.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
2. "Μάκης Μαλαφέκας". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
3. "Μαλαφέκας Μάκης". Αντίποδες (in Greek). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
4. La Grèce borderline de Makis Malafekas - Invitation au voyage - 30/01/2025 - Regarder le documentaire complet | ARTE (in French). Retrieved 2025-08-21 – via www.arte.tv.
5. "Μάκης Μαλαφέκας: Η Ευρώπη είναι σε πλήρη αποδρομή, σε αξιακή κατάρρευση". in.gr (in Greek). 2025-03-09. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
6. Caucaso, Osservatorio Balcani e. "Malafekas: pulp is the genuine product of a country in crisis". OBC Transeuropa (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
7. "The European Union Prize for Literature announces the 2025 shortlist". European Union Prize Literature. Retrieved 2025-08-21.