While the Benaki Museum is widely recognized for its exhibitions in Athens, it also brings cultural initiatives to other parts of Greece. This summer, in collaboration with the Kastellana Photography Center, it presents a powerful tribute to the island of Santorini as seen through the lens of one of Greece’s most significant photographers.
On view from August 10 to October 20, 2025, the exhibition “Nelly’s: Interwar Santorini” showcases the work of renowned photographer Nelly’s (Elli Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari, 1899–1998), whose photographs captured the stark beauty of Santorini before the island’s transformation following the devastating earthquake of 1956. The exhibition is curated by Aliki Tsirgialou (Head of the Photographic Archives, Benaki Museum) and Tonia Nousia (Architect, Museologist).
First visiting Santorini in 1928, Nelly’s was struck by the island’s dramatic volcanic landscape, distinctive architecture, and luminous light. Setting out from the medieval settlement of Pyrgos—home to her sister Maro and brother-in-law Spyridon Malaspinas—she photographed its terrain, houses, churches, and shadow-draped alleys in carefully composed black-and-white frames. Often devoid of human presence, her images exude a quiet, almost sculptural quality. When people do appear—mostly women and children—they’re arranged with care, adding a scenographic touch that enhances the atmosphere.
Nearly a century later, her photographs (presented here as contemporary digital prints) return to the very island where they were taken—inviting a new dialogue between the past and present.
The exhibition opening will take place on Sunday, August 10th at 20:00. Speakers include curators Aliki Tsirgialou and Tonia Nousia, alongside Dimitris Tsitouras (lawyer, collector), Demosthenes Agrafiotis (poet and intermedia artist), and Natasa Markidou (Associate Professor, University of West Attica). The event will be moderated by Tonia Nousia.
Admission is free, and the exhibition will be open daily from 10:00 to 21:00. In August and September, a series of parallel events—including talks and workshops for all ages—will explore Nelly’s legacy and the role of photography in preserving cultural memory.
The exhibition is part of the Santorini Municipality’s 2025 initiative, “Year of Authenticity.”
