Photography exhibition of Fany Sarri

The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki within the frame of the institution “Thessaloniki-Cultural Crossroads” has decided to approach the Arab world through the lens of Fanny Sarri, a photographer from Thessaloniki, who has been working in the East for years. The occupation of the photographer with Islam ensures not only the substantial knowledge but also the open, friendly and penetrating view.

Our goal was to approach the Arab world through two prisms: the first is the one with the numerous and important monuments of all cultural periods, which reflect the unstable history of the countries of the East. The second is the one of the people, of the contemporary life with all the contradictions it bears in relationship with the reality of the western world.

The artistic result is open to the judgment of the audience. Nonetheless we must pay attention to the view of the photographer: the images she offers remind us of universal values, which comprise our common heritage, while the cultural differences, which are obvious, indicate the wealth and the complexity of human civilization, the exact reason for being fascinating. After all the monuments become part of the human landscape and the people live around the monuments and within them.

Perhaps the essence of the work of Sarri is best phrased through the words of the writer Etel Adnan from Lebanon:”Does not judge, does not condemn. Just sees. But behind her eye is a generous love that surrounds her images in a manner transparent and at the same time allusive, a love which is rare in contemporary artistic expression. And this love her works shows embraces us with brightness”.
(translation: N. Gabriel Pentzikis)