Athens Photo Festival (APhF) is on view at the Benaki Museum through 15 November, showcasing works by 108 artists and photographers from 26 countries. The festival features photo exhibitions, installations, conferences, workshops, etc., all held in full compliance with the health regulations currently in effect.
APhF is an international festival of photography and visual Culture, the longest-running festival of its kind in Greece one of the five oldest in the world. It was established in 1987, on the initiative of Stavros Moresopoulos; despite its long history, it aims to always reinvent itself and “challenge the boundaries and experience of a traditional photographyfestival”, to encourage “diversity, inclusion, creativity and critical thinking” and function as a laboratory of ideas beyond the narrow community of photographers.
Left: Plein Soleil by Anaïs Boileau; Right: Encounter by Silvia Rosi (Source: Athens Photo Festival)
This year’s edition welcomes a wide variety of works from all the image-based genres, ranging from fine art and conceptual to documentary and photojournalism, photo-based installations, interactive content and multimedia works. Seeking to explore pressing current issues, and aspiring to “foster an understanding of contemporary culture and society through photography in all its forms” the festival brings together a range of different perspectives from both established and up-and-coming artists from around the world.
Left: Covid-19, San Salvatore by Alberto Giuliani; Right: Adaptability by Angelos Tzortzinis (Source: Athens Photo Festival)
The main exhibitions are spread over at the Benaki Museum / Pireos 138, covering an area of 2,200 m2. This includes the core exhibition of international artists and also the segment “Young Photographers”, displaying the works of 14 Greek photographers under 35, chosen among 380 submissions.
At the core of the Festival, apart from the central exhibitions, is a multi-layered programme of onsite and online events and year-round activities, such as educational and community outreach events, initiatives encouraging talent development and public engagement, etc. These include labs offering intensive learning experiences for aspiring artists and photography enthusiasts, experimental performances and a “Screening Night” on the use of images in contemporary culture.
Up: Dystopia by Fernando Montiel Klint; Down: Acid by Danila Tkachenko (Source: Athens Photo Festival)
Also, in the “Artist talks” section, several speakers from different countries will share their experiences and their vision with the audience, under the motto “We Speak Photography”. In the section “Portfolio Review” young photographers will have the opportunity to get in touch with acclaimed experts and receive valuable feedback regarding their work. This year’s edition also features a Photo Marathon, where more than 1,500 participants will be called to visually interpret, t through their own lens and within a span of six hours, four given topics inspired by urban life and its experience.
N. M. (Intro picture: The poster for this year’s edition of APhF featuring The Y by Alba Zari [Source: Athens Photo Festival Facebook page])
