The traveling photography exhibition: “Giannis and Milton Manakia: The Faces Behind the Lens” of IMMA is also visiting Xanthi.

The opening of the exhibition “Giannis and Milton Manakia: The Faces Behind the Lens” took place in Xanthi with great interest, bringing the public into contact with the pioneering work of the Manakia Brothers, from Avdella in Grevena, and their documentation of life in the Balkans at the beginning of the 20th century.

The President of the Foundation of Thracian Art and Tradition, Ms. Chara Christodoulou, emphasized the importance of collaboration with IMMA in strengthening cultural development in Northern Greece.

On her part, the Director of IMMA, Ms. Athina Pavlidou, highlighted the outward-looking character of the exhibition, which has traveled to many cities in Greece and abroad, attracting new audiences and fostering collaborations.

The President of the Department of Architecture at the Democritus University of Thrace, Professor Dimitris Polychronopoulos, focused on photography as a means of recording as well as interpreting reality, emphasizing the role of the “gaze” and the contribution of images in shaping collective memory.

The curator of the exhibition, Professor at the University of Macedonia and Director of the Center for Research on Macedonian History and Documentation of IMMA, Ms. Stavroula Mavrogeni, referred to the importance of the Manakia Brothers’ work for photography and cinema in the Balkans, as well as the value of the archival material that formed the basis of the exhibition. She also highlighted the significant contribution of the late Virginia Tsouderou to the establishment and support of both the Foundation of Thracian Art and Tradition and the Center for Research on Macedonian History and Documentation.

School students can visit the exhibition, discuss the moments captured in the photographs, and watch the short accompanying video until April 2, 2026, by prior arrangement.

Photos: Kostas Xinotroulias