Sacrifice

Rituals that take place under the sun leave no boundaries for participation. Everyone can be part of them, as they are deeply traditional in a way that accepts anyone who arrives.

In Mandamado of Mytilene, "Kourmpani" is an ancient ritual where a bull is sacrificed to honor the Archangel Michael, its blessing offered back to the community as a shared feast and a sacred symbol of protection. The endurance of this ceremony across centuries is vividly depicted through the faces of those who carry it forward.

Captured on analogue film with an intimate documentary lens, Sacrifice focuses primarily on human presence: the weathered hands preparing the cauldrons, the quiet moments of devotion, the gaze of elders, and the active involvement of younger generations. It is this living human chain that keeps the ritual so profoundly alive.

First showcased as a solo exhibition in the foyer of the National Hellenic Research Foundation (May 2009), the photographs were displayed on custom-built copper, wood, and coastal stone sculptures reminiscent of bull horns. The series was published in its entirety as a monograph by the Foundation, accompanied by texts by historian Panagiotis Michailaris and ethnologist Evdokia Olympitou.