Lilena Marinou: Greece Fires on Lomography Film

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Based in New York City by way of Athens, Greece, photographer and filmmaker Lilena Marinou documented the aftermath of a catastrophic fire that destroyed Mati, a seaside suburb of Athens. All shot on Lomography CN 800, Lilena explores the familiar area of Mati as an outsider.

©Lilena Marinou

Shooting on Lomography CN 800, Lilena aimed to document what affected a place she knew so well:

"Creating this series was an emotional and unusual experience, in the sense that I felt more intrusive than I ordinarily do. With photography, I go back and forth between planned and spontaneous work because I enjoy both binaries, especially since this dichotomy exists in my own personality: I love preparation and I love spontaneity. Six Months After the Fire was a project done at whim, having not witnessed the effects of the summer fires until I arrived at Mati with my camera."
©Lilena Marinou

Lilena found this series particularly difficult to make, not just because of the familiarity of the area but also because of approaching the subject as a voyeur:

"I roamed the area like a ghost, feeling uncomfortable at times, particularly because I felt ashamed for not asking permission to enter strangers' homes. A fire cannot undermine the emotional value of one's property, just as the state of a home does not determine its sacredness. I initially questioned my right to even be there, but the shock I felt from that landscape shifted my focus from such insecurities to concentrating on doing this project justice. I knew I was there only for compassion and empathy. I was there to see the remains of a place in which I spent most of my childhood for myself and to record facts presenting a bitter truth but, most importantly, exhibiting how it has grown."
©Lilena Marinou

If you like Lilena's work, check out more on her website and Instagram.

written by sragomo on 2019-04-04 #gear #culture #places

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