ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑ Σωκράτης Ιορδανίδης (1912-1985), Αρχείο ΜΦΘ / MYSTERIES Socrates Iordanidis (1912-1985), TMP Archive

 14/05-30/06/14 – Βrusells

Location: InfoPoint Europa (Rue Archimède, 1.,tel.: 0032 22965555)

Production: Museum of Photography, Thessaloniki
As part of the PhotoBiennale
Concept and curating: Alexandra Athanasiadou, Vangelis Ioakimidis
Texts curating: Katerina Schina

The Greek identity is linked with its language. This photography exhibition of 24 images by 24 photographers uses the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet in order to highlight values and symbols which are intertwined with the Greek culture, from its origins till today.
In this line of thought for example Δ stands for Δημοκρατία [demokratia] (meaning democracy), A for Αγών [aghon] (meaning competition, linked with the value of excellence which defined the ancient Greek culture), N for Ναυτιλεία [naftilia] (meaning shipping, underlining the maritime tradition of the country).
Some words are more recognizable than others, like Olympus (Όλυμπος), or Tragedy (Τραγωδία). Οthers are associated visually with Greece, but the word signifying them may be unknown, like Γιορτή [ghiorti](meaning fête, expressing the joyous Dionysian spirit) or Ελιά [elia] (which means olive).
There are also words representing ideas or inventions like Xάρτη [charte] (meaning Map), to which the Greeks contributed significantly – in this case Anaximander, as one of the pioneer cartographers – but are not widely known.
Lastly the photographic images also bring to the fore words which express unique Greek conditions (emotional or social) like Bάσανο [vassano] loosely translated as torment, or Ξενιτειά, [xenitia] meaning migration but also carrying in it the nostalgia of not returning to the homeland).
In this manner the viewer stands before letters/words/images, which compose aspects of the Greek culture and is invited to discover that the continuance of the Greek language is reflected upon its spirit.

FIGHT (ΑΓΩΝ) PhilipTsiaras (1952-)
TORMENT (ΒΑΣΑΝΟ) Costas Balafas (1920-2011), Photographic archive of the Benaki Museum
FESTIVAL (ΓΙΟΡΤΗ)Spyros Staveris (1952-)
DEMOCRACY (ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ) Manolis Baboussis (1950-)
OLIVE TREE (ΕΛΙΑ) Stratos Kalafatis (1966-)
ARDOUR (ΖΗΛΟΣ) Fred Boissonnas (1858-1946), TMP Archive
SUN (ΗΛΙΟΣ) Konstantinos Ignatiadis (1958-)
POPULAR WISDOM (ΘΥΜΟΣΟΦΙΑ) Yiannis Stylianou (1941-1996), TMP Archive
ITHACA (ΙΘΑΚΗ) Pavlos Fysakis (1969-), TMP Collection
COSMOGONY (ΚΟΣΜΟΓΟΝΙΑ) Theodoros Nikoleris (1898-1994), TMP Archive
LOGOS (ΛΟΓΟΣ) Peter Marifoglou (1954-)
MYSTERIES (ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑ) Socrates Iordanidis (1912-1985), TMP Archive
NAVIGATION (ΝΑΥΤΙΛΕΙΑ) Dimitris Harissiadis (1911-1993), Photographic archive of the Benaki Museum
FOREIGN LANDS (ΞΕΝΙΤΙΑ) Maria Chroussachi (1899-1972), National Gallery-Alexandros Soutzos Museum
OLYMPUS (ΟΛΥΜΠΟΣ) Dimitris Letsios (1910-2008), TMP Archive
POETRY (ΠΟΙΗΣΗ) Voula Papaioannou (1898-1989), Photographic Archive of the Benaki Museum
PHETORIC (ΡΗΤΟΡΙΚΗ) Yiannis Megas’ Collection
SPIRAL (ΣΠΕΙΡΑ) Demetris Koilalous (1962-)
TRAGEDY (ΤΡΑΓΩΔΙΑ) Nelly’s (1899-1998), TMP Archive-Parallaxis donation
HUBRIS (ΥΒΡΙΣ) Kamilo Nollas (1968-), TMP Collection
BURDEN (ΦΟΡΤΙΟ) Andreas Embeirikos (1901-1975), Matsis Hatzilazarou Archive-Historic Archive of the Benaki Museum
MAPS (ΧΑΡΤΕΣ) Stratis Vogiatzis (1978-)
PSYCHE (ΨΥΧΗ) Nikos Markou (1959-)
OCEANUS (ΩΚΕΑΝΟΣ) Yiorgos Kordakis (1973-)