Faces of Elefsina

The project showcases a broad spectrum of Elefsinians today, honouring their cultural legacy, encompassing both native-born residents and those with ancestral ties to Asia Minor and Pontos, alongside newcomers hailing from diverse regions of Greece, Albania, Pakistan, and India.

Set amid ancient Greek ruins, this small city mirrors global issues such as labour migration, ancestral displacement, cultural memory, and the complexities of residing amidst industrial and environmental degradation. Combining personal stories with select portraits, the project explores how people shape their sense of place in the world through relationships and belonging, while preserving their individual and shared histories.

Collectively, these works act as a tool for empowerment, identity, and self-expression. The concept of the portrait goes beyond mere representation, it holds a philosophical dimension, and a dynamic interaction between self-revelation and societal observation.

Faces of Elefsina drew inspiration from the legendary German photographer August Sander’s pioneering work Face of Our Time (1929), which aimed to capture the essence of German society during the turbulent interwar years. Sander’s straightforward style focused on the unique individuality of each subject. In parallel with his portrayal of the Weimar Republic era, Faces of Elefsina aims for a similar depth of representation and methodology.

“If we can create portraits of subjects that are true, we thereby in effect create a mirror of the times.”

~August Sander

The multimedia presentation with split screen montage combines portraits of Elefsinians with an original score inspired by renowned composer Hans Zimmer’s Time. The piece explores the profound nature of time, evoking emotions of longing, hope, and the intricacies of human experience. It invites viewers to reflect on time’s complexities and its emotional impact, suggesting that moments of introspection and passage are intertwined with growth and transformation, regret or loss.

Faces of Elefsina stands as a tribute to the people of Elefsina, its rich tapestry of diversity, history, struggle, pride, and resilience.