Historian Leonard Janiszewski will present a lecture entitled “Effy Alexakis, documentary photographer: In her own image” at the Greek Centre, on Thursday 24 May 2018, as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

This lecture will provide an overview of Alexakis’ work, through her influences, socio-political outlook and the major themes she has pursued, evidencing her rise and development as a significant Australian social documentary photographer of Greek heritage.

Since the early 1980s, Effy Alexakis’ photographic work has been quite diverse, ranging from commercial photo shoots in a studio or location, to specialist site photography on archaeological digs in Egypt. Her personal passion though has been the photographic documentation of Australia’s historical and contemporary Greek presence.

Renowned photographic critic Robert McFarlane, has applauded her images of Greek-Australians, highlighting that “there is a consistent humanity in Alexakis’ photographs, coupled to outstanding craft. Her photographs are never of the subject merely placed against an appropriate background. Quality of light appears crucially important to this photographer, as is the body language of her subjects… There is also a little of the great Magnum photographer Constantine Manos in her capacity to embrace the Greekness of herself and her subjects. Manos struggled and ultimately succeeded in coming to terms with his ancestry in his book A Greek Portfolio. Alexakis ploughs a similar field with equal dignity.”

Alexakis & Janiszewski will have two of their books available at these presentations: Greek Cafés & Milk Bars of Australia, Halstead Press, 2016 and In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians, Hale & Iremonger, 1998.

When: Thursday, 24 May 2018, 7.00pm
Where: Greek Centre, (Level 1, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne)