The 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture and the Thriasian Field Volunteers’ Association, on the occasion of World Environment Day, present the solo photography exhibition by Maria Douka, titled “The Swimmers in Eleusis”, focusing on the residents of the city who swim at the beaches of Iris and Foniás.
Over a ten-year photographic journey, the photographer follows the people of Elefsina to these beaches, aiming to highlight the rebirth of the sea and the natural environment.
According to the Thriasian Plain Volunteers’ Association, marine pollution remains a global challenge, and every action, big or small, can have a positive impact on daily life.
The sea of Elesina is an integral part of the city’s life, and its protection requires collective effort to ensure a clean and sustainable future.
Photographer’s Note
Maria Douka writes:
“In the ancient Mysteries, the sea was the great purifier—baptism and cleansing—before participating in the sacred rituals. In the Great Eleusinian Mysteries, the third day was dedicated to the seawater—‘Aladai Mystai’, the initiates in the sea. Later, Eleusis experienced periods of pollution, rendering its sea unable to support life. Efforts to restore the environmental degradation of the Eleusis Gulf followed. The Swimmers in Eleusis purify the past and protect the future of the sea and their Sacred City.”
Biography
Maria Douka was born in Elefsina and has been involved in photography for the past 15 years. She has attended workshops in artistic and technical photography, as well as classes in painting and Art History. She is a founding member of the photography group Fotoditika and the Photographic Club of Elefsina.
From 2017 to 2019, she participated in the seminar “Photography & Cultural Heritage – Eleusis as a Case Study” under the guidance of photographer Jeff Vanderpool. The seminar was organized by the Cultural Department of P.A.K.P.P.A. (Municipal Public Benefit Enterprise of Eleusis) and aimed at documenting, highlighting, and protecting the cultural heritage of the region. It was initially designed for students of the English-language postgraduate program “Cultural Heritage Management” of the Athens University of Economics and Business and the University of Kent (UK), hosted at the premises of P.A.K.P.P.A.
In 2023, Maria held her first solo exhibition, titled “Deiknymena”, featuring photographic material from the archaeological site of Eleusis. The Bathers of Eleusis is her second solo exhibition—a ten-year photographic exploration of the city’s sea and beaches. She has participated in over 50 group exhibitions in Athens, Eleusis, and in photography festivals across various cities in Greece.
