Terra Thrakia - Arif AşçiTR, Pavel BelchevBG, Serkan TaycanTR, Veneta ZacharievaBG, Michalis BoliakisGR, Theodosis GiannakidisGR, Vasilis KarafillidisGR, Maria KosmidouGR, Kerem UzelTR, Petros KipourosGR, Christos MyrogiannisGR, Simeon ChatzilidisGR
Thrace. So Close, So Far. Its Muslim World- Pepi LoulakakiGR
Terra Thrakia - Arif AşçiTR, Pavel BelchevBG, Serkan TaycanTR, Veneta ZacharievaBG, Michalis BoliakisGR, Theodosis GiannakidisGR, Vasilis KarafillidisGR, Maria KosmidouGR, Kerem UzelTR, Petros KipourosGR, Christos MyrogiannisGR, Simeon ChatzilidisGR
Thrace. So Close, So Far. Its Muslim World- Pepi LoulakakiGR
Location:
Vassiliko Theatre -
NTNG
(White Tower Square)
Duration: September-November 2014
Opening hours: Su 11.00-11.30 (from 19/10), We-Sa 20.00-23.00 (23-26/10, 29-30/10 and from 14/11-30/11)
Co-organization:
NTNG / Centre for Creative Photography of Thrace
The Thessaloniki Museum of Photography continues its collaboration with the National Theatre of Northern Greece.
As part of the PhotoBiennale, the Museum is presenting the exhibitions “Logos X” at the Vassiliko Theatre-NTNG, and particularly:
- “Terra Thrakia”, a production of the Centre for Creative Photography of Thrace, with works by 12 artists from Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria.
- “Thrace. So Close, So Far. Its Muslim World”, with works by Pepi Loulakaki and texts by Elena Moschidi.
Terra Thrakia - Arif AşçiTR, Pavel BelchevBG, Serkan TaycanTR, Veneta ZacharievaBG, Michalis BoliakisGR, Theodosis GiannakidisGR, Vasilis KarafillidisGR, Maria KosmidouGR, Kerem UzelTR, Petros KipourosGR, Christos MyrogiannisGR, Simeon ChatzilidisGR
It’s been seven years since a group of people with love for photography came together to found the Centre for Creative Photography of Thrace, based in Alexandroupolis. The desire and thirst for creation was what firstly led us to photographing the place in which we live and take action. However, this place, Thrace, is a place with such a rich culture and history, that it would be impossible to cut it off from the historic ground of Thrace whose parts belong today to three different countries, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
A natural result was the collaboration with photographers from neighbouring countries. Far from the materialization of an action, this contact was also for us an exciting journey in the field of photography with exchanging of views and experiences that opened new horizons of communication and broadened our personal perspective.
The creation of the project took four years and was completed with the publication of the “Terra Thrakia” photobook and the “Terra Thrakia” photo exhibition.
The photographs of the photobook have been chosen by the world famous photographers George Georgiou and Vanessa Winship, from 400 photographs.
Theodosis Giannakidis
President of The Centre for Creative Photography of Thrace
www.kedifot.gr
ARTISTS BIOGRAPHIES – TERRA THRAKIA
Arif Aşçi
Born in 1958 in Adana-Turkey. He studied painting in Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, where he also teached engraving (1984-1986). He has published photo albums and his work has been presented in exhibitions in Istanbul, Bruxelles and Seoul.
Pavel Belchev
Born in 1975 in Varna, Bulgaria. He is currently based in Berlin. Pavel studied photography at NATFA in Sofia, Bulgaria. He received his first camera when he was 11. He is passionate about black and white film photography, traditional darkroom printing, instant photography, as well as camera history and preservation.
Serkan Taycan
He was born in Turkey in 1978. He studied engineering at Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul. After graduating, he went on to complete a master-class on documentary photography in Sweden.
He worked as Assistant Curator at the Photography Gallery, Istanbul Museum of Modern Art and photojournalist for Radikal newspaper. His work “Homeland” exhibitied severel places includung Thessaloniki PhotoBiennale by the TMP. He is represented by Elipsis Gallery, Istanbul and Sipa Press, Paris.
Kerem Uzel
Born in Corum, Turkey. Graduated from Istanbul Technical University and went to New England School of Photography, MA, USA for photography education in 1997. One of the co founder of NAR Photos, an independent photo collective based in Istanbul.
In 2006, he contributed to an exhibition and a book with ten contemporary photographers from Turkey and Armenia. He works for national and international publications beside his personal work.
Veneta Zacharieva
She was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. She studied in the School of Law in Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski. She accomplished Master in Intellectual property Law at USF, San Francisco, California. In 2001-2002 I spent two full semesters at CCSF (City College of San Francisco), Photography department. She has also studied Illustrative and Fine Art Photography at the Academy of Art University.
Theodosis Giannakidis
Born in Alexandroupolis, Theodosis Giannakidis with studies in the Polytechnics University of Xanthi and postgraduate studies in Gr. Britain, got into photography after university, taking lessons in the Alexandroupolis Sections of Popular Education.
He is a founding member and president of the Creative Photography Centre of Thrace, based in Alexandroupolis and he has organized seminars-presentations of Greek and foreign photographers. He has carried out personal exhibitions and took part in group exhibitions.
Vasilis Karafillidis
He was born in Alexandroupolis in 1973. He attended photography lessons of the Popular Education (N.E.L.E.) in Alexandroupolis. He studied photography in the department of Dimitreli School in Thessaloniki. He is the director of photography in 25 documentaries directed by Despina Pantazi and Haris Ntonias. He attended cinematography, direction and photography seminars. He is one of the founding members of KE.DI.FOT.
Maria Kosmidou
She was born in Athens in 1980. She studied architecture at the Polytechnincs University of Xanthi. Her first contact with photography was through the Cultural Club of the university and later she attended seminars at KE.DI.FOT., of which she is member since 2010. She has attended photography seminars.
Reverend Father Petros Kipouros
He is a married priest, father of three children. He has served as chaplain at the Metropolitan St. Nickolas church of Alexandroupolis since 1993. He has been living with his family in Australia since 2011, where he serves as a chaplain at the St. Nickolas church of Canberra.
He has been dealing systematically with creative photography for 22 years now. He has participated in photographic contests like the World Press Photo and has carried out 4 personal exhibitions in Alexandroupolis & Xanthi. He distinguished himself in the photography contest of National Geographic by taking the 2nd place in 2006 and the 1st prize of the Greek edition of National Geographic in 2007, published articles and photographs in the Greek and Polish editions of National Geographic.
Michalis Boliakis
Born in 1956 in Alexandroupolis, where he lives and works as a photographer. He has carried out eleven personal exhibitions, and he has participated in various group exhibitions. He has published books with his works, which is also included in many photographic albums. He is vice-president and one of the founding members of Creative Photography Centre of Thrace.
Christos Myrogiannis
He was born in Thessaloniki, he lives in Alexandroupolis since 1983, and he started photography in 1988, at the Seminars of Popular Education (N.E.L.E.) of Alexandroupolis. He has attended photography trainer’s education seminars. He was a photography trainer himself from 1995 until 2002, in the photography section of the Municipality of Feres. As a founding member of KE.DI.FOT., he takes part in all of its activities.
Simeon Chatzilidis
He was born on 1981 in Alexandroupolis, where he lives and works as a photographer. He studied photography in Corfu I.E.K. and he is a founding member of the Centre of Creative Photography of Thrace. He has participated in group exhibitions.
Thrace. So Close, So Far. Its Muslim World
Pepi LoulakakiGR
What information does the current-day Greek know about the closely guarded world of Muslim Thrace? The photographer Pepi Loulakakis treads this untrodden ground of Muslim society (Pomaks, Turks, Roma, the Sudanese) and manages with her lens to focus for the first time on the personal moments of the modern muslim woman, on children in minority schools and their recreational time, and introduces us to these unknown citizens through their daily lives. Because when peoples and cultures come into contact the space of dialogue and cultural exchange grows and the corresponding dimensions of prejudice shrink.
Reporter Elena Moschidi is participant and companion of the project from which emerged a book of the same name.
The book "Thrace: So Close, So Far Away, Its Muslim World" is published by Kastaniotis Press.
Pepi Loulakaki
She was born in Athens and works as a freelance photographer. She has covered assignments in various locations all over the world for Greek and foreign magazines mainly on social, sociopolitical and cultural issues. Her photographs have appeared in individual and group exhibits and have been published in books such as Thrace. So close, so far away. The Muslim world (Kastaniotis Editions), The Artists of ECM (Granta, England), Hot Springs in Greece (Kastaniotis Editions), Freund Schaft (Castrum Peregrini, Amsterdam).
www.pepiloulakaki.com