The IMMA exhibition ‘Yannis and Milto Manakia: The Faces Behind the Lens’ is traveling to Kastoria and is being hosted at the Bassara Mansion.

The next stop of the Exhibition of the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) “Yiannis and Milto Manakia: The Faces Behind the Lens” is Kastoria.

The exhibition is hosted at the Bassara Mansion in Kastoria, from April 12 to April 30, 2025.

The opening ceremony of the Exhibition took place with great success on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the impressive Bassara Mansion. At the opening event, a greeting was given by the Director of IMMA, Ms. Athina Pavlidou, followed by a speech and guided tour of the exhibition by its curator, Ms. Stavroula Mavrogeni. The event concluded with a musical program featuring compositions by Ioannis Konstantinidis, Béla Bartók, and Manos Hadjidakis, performed by musicians Venetia Linardou and Elli Kaloutsaki on piano and violin.

The Manakia Brothers, pioneering cinematographers and photographers originating from Avdella, Grevena, traversed the countryside and major urban centers of the Balkans, documenting not only the lives of working people, moments of leisure and entertainment but also architectural landmarks, as well as historical and social events that marked the changes of the first half of the 20th century.

The exhibition presents a large collection of photographs from the personal archive of Leonidas Manakis, son of Miltos Manakia, which was donated to IMMA by Ambassador (hon.) Mr. Alexandros Mallias. Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch the namesake documentary, produced by filmmaker Akis Loukas.

The Exhibition in Kastoria is co-organized by the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia and the A.L.M.A Social Cooperative Enterprise (Koin.S.Ep). The exhibition is curated by Ms. Stavroula Mavrogeni, Professor at the University of Macedonia and Director of the Center for Research of Macedonian History and Documentation at IMMA, while the general coordination is overseen by Ms. Athina Pavlidou, Museologist, Cultural Manager, and Director of IMMA.

The Exhibition was initially organized at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle in Thessaloniki, as part of the 8th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art in 2023, and has already traveled to Pristina, Grevena, Patras, and Larissa, continuing its tour across Greece.

Exhibition Information Duration: April 12 – April 30, 2025
Location: Bassara Mansion, Kastoria
Opening Hours:

• Holy Monday – Holy Saturday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• From Easter Monday to Closing: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM & 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM