Michael Pappas
Weaving Heritage into Contemporary Greece
“What gives me the greatest satisfaction in my work is the feeling that, in some small way, I’m doing something good. I often return to a line by Robert Adams: form in a photograph is beautiful because it helps us face our deepest fear
– the suspicion that life might be chaos and that, as a result, our suffering has no meaning.
This idea lies at the heart of my creative process. I try to make photographs that offer a sense of meaning, a moment of harmony within the disorder of the world. And when I feel I’ve managed to achieve that – even just a little – that is where my greatest fulfillment comes from. Because, in the end, I want my photographs to feel like a small act of kindness.“
– Michael Pappas
Through my lens, I explore how heritage and identity shape the soul of contemporary Greece.
I believe that tradition is not a relic of the past but a living, evolving force, one that continues to inspire, transform, and define who we are today.
My work seeks to weave this timeless essence into modern visual language, bridging generations through the art of photography. I am interested not only in documenting but also in reinterpreting tradition, revealing how cultural memory and modern aesthetics coexist in today’s Greece.
I photograph to connect the past with the present, because without understanding our roots, we cannot evolve authentically.
Each image is an act of remembrance, a conversation between what has been inherited and what is becoming.
Artistic Focus
My ongoing photographic exploration captures the evolving identity of Greek womanhood – from the traditional to the contemporary, portraying attire not merely as costume, but as a vessel of social, historical, and emotional continuity.
Through this visual dialogue, I seek to celebrate the feminine as both a guardian and a re-inventor of Greek cultural heritage.
MITOS Project – Purpose and Vision
An ethnographic tribute to Greek folk culture through the language of contemporary photography.
The MITOS Project began in 2019 as a long-term effort to highlight and sustain Greece’s rich cultural heritage. Through portraits of individuals wearing traditional costumes from across the country, the project documents customs, craftsmanship, and local traditions passed down through generations.
But MITOS is more than documentation, it is a statement of belief:
that tradition, when understood deeply, becomes the foundation for authentic and innovative art.
By using contemporary aesthetics and visual storytelling, MITOS acts like a Trojan Horse, introducing traditional values into the consciousness of modern audiences who may not otherwise engage with them. It turns heritage into a living dialogue – familiar, relevant, and emotionally resonant.
Why the MITOS Project matters:
–Cultural Preservation: A visual archive safeguarding an irreplaceable part of Greek identity.
–Contemporary Ethnography: Seeing tradition as a living, breathing force within modern life.
–Aesthetic Excellence: Merging ethnographic precision with the poetic sensibility of fine art.
–Universal Relevance: In a globalized world, MITOS reminds us of the power of local identities to shape our collective humanity.
Artistic Vision and Future Direction
The next phase of MITOS expands across Greece, documenting endangered traditions and costumes while deepening its educational mission – introducing younger generations to the beauty, meaning, and craftsmanship of Greek folk heritage.
Through exhibitions, publications, and workshops, the project continues to evolve as both a cultural and an artistic journey, one that bridges history with contemporary expression.
Selected Exhibitions
“Exhibitions at leading cultural institutions, highlighting the international recognition of Pappas’ work:”
– Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece (2018-2019)
– Musée Fragonard, Grasse, France (2019)
– Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Athens, Greece (October 2024)
– House of European History Museum, Brussels, Belgium
(March 2025 – January 2026)
–Xposure International Photography Festival, Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates (Jan – Feb 2026)
– Photometria, Ioannina, Greece (2021)
– Gallery Hestia, Belgrade, Serbia (2023)
– Modular Installation THREADS, Kythnos Island, Greece (2023)
– Galeria e Arteve, Albania (2024)
– National Garden, Athens, Greece (November 2024)
– Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Ankara, Turkey (June 10 – July 20, 2025)
– Portraits of Tsakonia, Solo Exhibition, Melitzazz Festival, Leonidio, Greece (July 2025)
– The Lands of the Vlachs, Photographic Installation, Vovousa Festival, Greece (July – August 2025)
– International Photography Exhibition Biserna Grana – A World in Common, Novi Sad – Serbia (October 2025)
Permanent Exhibitions
-Olympic Athletic Center of Athens “Spiros Louis” (2021)
-Bar Vlaha, Boston, USA (2023) – one of The New York Times’ “25 Best Restaurants in Boston”, celebrating Greek culinary heritage.
Honors & Collaborations
-Spotlighted Photographer – VOGUE / PhotoVogue (2023)
-Brand Ambassador for Oberwerth (Germany, 2024)
-2nd Prize – Istanbul Photo Awards (2025)
-Color Photography Award – The Independent Photographer (2025)
-2nd Prize – Life Framer “YOUTH” (2025)
-Honorable Mention – International Photography Awards (IPA) (2025)
–Balkan Erotik Epic – Performance & Photography collaboration with Marina Abramović (2025)
Clients
Collaborations with leading brands and cultural institutions, including:
COSMOTE, Kathimerini, Gastronomos.
These collaborations reflect a shared vision of representing contemporary Greek identity through authentic and visually compelling storytelling.
Publications
–Another Greece (2024),
featuring images from ETHOS, part of the Royal Danish Library collection.
–The Green Notebook
(Το Πράσινο Τετράδιο, 2025)
over 400 notes (52 pages) on great photography.
–The Photographer Estate Owner
(Ο Φωτογράφος Μεγαλοκτηματίας, 2025)
A philosophy of ownership—the distilled essence of what I’ve learned about how art becomes legacy. It includes 115 pages and 600+ notes.
Photography Workshops
–Melitzazz Festival, Leonidio, Greece (July 2025) – Workshop on portraiture, tradition, and place.
–Vovousa Festival, Vovousa, Greece (August 2025) – Workshop on photography as narrative, memory, and landscape.
Statement
Through my work, I aim to offer a visual testimony to the enduring legacy and evolving spirit of Greek womanhood and cultural identity.
Photography, for me, is not only a medium of representation but a vessel of continuity, a way to remember, to reinterpret, and to reimagine who we are.
Tradition is my language. Photography is my voice. Together, they tell the story of a living Greece.
