Photographer Elena Constantinou presents her first solo photography exhibition, titled «Wild East», an Overland Journey from Cyprus to China.
The exhibition will open on Thursday, 12th of December 2019, at 19:00, and it will remain open for the public until December 23rd.
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 13:00 & 15:00 - 19:00, Saturday 10:00 - 14:00
A long journey, from Cyprus to Western China via Turkey, Iran and Pakistan, using exclusively overland transport, is what inspired photographer Elena Constantinou to collect images of people and landscapes, capturing a different East. Different from the one presented in mass media of the western world. Within 90 days, using trains, buses and hitchhiking, about 12,000 km were covered, with more than 50 stopovers along the way.
The photographer mentions: The title «Wild East», sarcastically refers to the "imaginary East", shaped in my head by ugly rumors, terrifying images and strange stories, but also by the humanly fear of the unknown. At the same time, this unknown, exudes from inside of me a real passion for traveling, a need to explore and to observe even the most insignificant details. All these, along with my trust in humanity and the experienced traveler that accompanied me, led me all the way to the Xinjiang region of China.
The most amazing experience I gained during this long road trip was the ability to gradually experience the changes of space, climate and culture. The environment, the faces, the costumes, the habits and the languages changed gradually right from the moment I left Limassol.
Most of the photos I present are human-centred, since most of the time I chose to spend my time with people I met, trying to follow their rhythm, thus omitting the notorious monuments of the list. By observing everyday life, I perceived elements that connected me rather than separated me from these people.
With the «Wild East» of her imagination as the trigger, along with the material gathered along the way, the photographer shares the experience of the journey through photography, presenting a different world, a direct and a real one. Pictures that will take you on a journey through the rugged landscapes and the vastness of Asia into the normality of everyday life, through a look, and a genuine smile, show another aspect of the «Wild East».
Photographer's Bio:
Elena Constantinou was born in Limassol, Cyprus in 1987. She graduated from the School of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Constantinou developed a special interest in photography during her studies, where she had the opportunity through the photography classes to experiment with both analog and digital photography. After graduation, she worked as a product photographer in London, UK for several years. During this time, along with her love for photography, she also developed an intense interest for traveling; the recording of cultures through visual narration and the search for unique moments that can generate powerful emotional responses. In 2016, Constantinou worked with a photographer in Italy at which time, she focused on commercial photography, enhancing her knowledge in the field. Constantinou currently lives and works in Limassol.
