SPYROS STAVERIS PRESS CONFERENCE
The Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography held a press conference on Saturday, November 5, at the latter's premises, to present the photography exhibition by Spyros Staveris "A world without margins".
"It is a pleasure for me to continue my long collaboration with the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography. In the past, the TIFF hosted at the museum's premises a long series of exhibitions by modern photographers. This year, in the framework of the TIFF 52nd edition, we present an exhibition by one of the most important Greek photographers", said the director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival Dimitris Eipides. Mr. Eipides said the work of Staveris is "fascinating", adding that "the exhibition presents works from all the periods that have attracted the artist's interest in a lively and expressive way".
In his speech, the director of the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, Vangelis Ioakimides, said that the Museum's goal is to approach the art of photography in all its various aspects and uses. "The collaboration we have built with the Festival is on a very good track", he noted, adding that both institutions share the objective of creating a small section within the Festival, dedicated to photography and to movies made by photographers. Referring specifically to the retrospective on the work of Spyros Staveris, Mr. Ioakimides underlined that "it offers a comprehensive review of his work, from his very first steps, when he was living in Paris, to his commissioned works for magazines, his travels in the Aegean and ten foreign countries, to the pictures he took during a 24-hour time frame, be it at the funeral of the late Archbishop Christodoulos or at the proceedings of the Special Tribunal". Mr. Ioakimides noted that "the uniqueness of Staveris' work lies in the fact that he was connected to the periodical press and specifically to publisher Stathis Tsagarousianos. The end recipients of his work were the readers of magazines such as Symbol and Lifo".
"It was with pleasure that I accepted the invitation of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, because the Festival reconnects me with my past, taking me back to the time when I was 'swimming in the sea of films'", said Staveris, revealing that the art of cinema had been his unfulfilled passion. "I wanted to take this direction, and it is quite indicative that I am returning to my old passions", he added. He then admitted that in the past he was not very fond of exhibitions, but with time his views changed. "Today, at a time of total disintegration and collapse, it is amazing that we met and collaborated for this exhibition", he said. Indeed, he believes that it is an auspicious coincidence that the 52nd TIFF has also organized a tribute to filmmaker Constantine Giannaris. "A common past connects me with Giannaris and Mr. Eipides. Three emigres meet at the festival to share the same passion, the same truth and a groundbreaking outlook of things, their love for their country and their distance from it. It is funny and ironic that both I and Mr. Eipides, and I suppose Giannaris as well, have been accused of anti-Hellenism!", he said.
Answering questions to representatives of the media about what, if anything, would still be able to arouse his interest, after such a long career as a photographer, he admitted there are now very few things that can surprise him. "During my first years, when I had no thought of becoming a photographer, I had felt the calling of the streets. Later, I kind of lost this contact, but now, with the press industry in a state of crisis, I feel the street calling again. I am interested in the city's culture, its magic. My eyes have seen so much, that now, when I am out with camera on hand, there are very few thins that surprise me – maybe some extraordinary piece of clothing, a facial expression, two passers-by crossing paths".
The exhibition presents works covering the 1982-2011 periods. It is organized in the following sections: "The Beginning", "The Search", "The Spectacle", "The Protagonists", "The Backstage", "The Celebration". The exhibition also features a short, 21-minute film on the artist's work and career, directed by Panos Thomaides. The monograph "A world without margins: Spyros Staveris, 1982-2011", published by the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography will be available from Monday, November 7. The exhibition is one of the events of the 52nd TIFF funded by the European Union - European Regional Development Fund, in the framework of the Regional Operational Program of Central Macedonia 2007-2013.
