Cities masks and bodies
The photographic project “Cities, Masks and Bodies” does not document specific events; instead, it processes fragments of reality, proving that photography's ability to render the visible world is an entirely personal matter.
Giannis Voulgarakis presents his own distinct view of the world—one woven from affection, loneliness, anxiety, and restraint. It is an environment of subtle doubts and obsessions, a dark yet deeply enchanted realm.
The project explores the human form and the urban landscape, examining how the concepts of beauty and ugliness, truth and falsehood, are shaped by firmly established societal stereotypes.
In the first section, the visual journey begins in the central neighborhoods of Athens, such as Metaxourgeio and Exarcheia. Wandering through the urban night, Voulgarakis constructs a fragmented portrait of a city defined by sensory contrast, charm, and quiet decay. Indistinct figures and hidden architectural spaces emerge through intense, moody color combinations, reflecting an emotional and heartbreaking melancholy.
The second section shifts its focus to shop window mannequins—impersonal masks posing smugly behind glass. With well-shaped contours and rigid measurements, these alienated figures promote an artificial idol of how one "should" look, serving as cold, temporary avatars of idealized femininity.
The sequence concludes with an intimate study of female bodies—unadorned, vulnerable, and marked by the natural passage of time. Placed in silent dialogue with weathered spaces and objects left to decay, these forms carry their own personal stories and painful adventures. They reveal an essential truth about mortal flesh that directly challenges conventional, commercial standards of beauty. The striking juxtaposition between smooth, expressionless synthetic faces and the deeply human, wounded body creates a compelling visual and philosophical tension.
Curated by Dr. Nina Kassianou (Historian, Curator of Photography, Artistic Director). Presented as a solo exhibition at Eikastikos Kyklos (Athens Photo Festival 2015) and published as a monograph by Metaichmio Publications (2015).