Portraits of Greece captured by leading American photographer go on show beside those from the island at the same time period

The magic of Greece, brought alive through the lens of Philhellene American photographer Robert A McCabe and the faces he captured, will be presented in Cyprus for the first time at the AG Leventis Gallery this week.

In addition to McCabe’s photographs, the exhibition includes images from Cyprus from the same period, captured by distinguished photographers Renos Evriviades Wideson and Apostolos Ververis.

McCabe, now a Greek citizen, first visited Greece in 1954. Since then, during his travels across the country, he documented its monuments, natural beauty, daily life and the people who shaped it. His expressive portraits, full of sensitivity and immediacy, depict moments from the carefree world of children, scenes of life by the sea, people at work, gatherings and festive occasions.

He photographed these figures with respect, sensitivity and simplicity, revealing the soul of Greek society. Through his lens, exhibition visitors will embark on a journey through a Greek world brimming with emotion and authenticity – one that is gradually fading, yet remains familiar and recognisable.

McCabe’s work has been featured in prestigious international photography exhibitions in cities such as Paris, London, New York, Brussels, Tokyo and Boston. In Greece, he has received significant recognition, with his most recent retrospective at the Acropolis Museum titled Χαίρε Ξένε. In The Land of dreams.

The exhibition Look at Me Portraits in Greece by Robert A. McCabe offers a rare opportunity for visitors to experience Greece through the eyes of a foreigner who deeply loved the country and was captivated by its people.

The exhibition’s connection with Cyprus occurs via the inclusion of the other two photographers. Wideson was an esteemed Cypriot photographer whose photographs have been generously provided by his family while Ververis was a photographer of Asia Minor descent who visited Cyprus in the 1950s with the mission of documenting the island’s Greek identity. His photographs are part of the Photographic Archive of the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia.

The exhibition offers an unforgettable experience for photography, history, and Greek cultural heritage enthusiasts. It is accompanied by a richly illustrated publication in both Greek and English.

The exhibition and accompanying publication are curated by art historian Evita Arapoglou, Curator of the Greek Collection at the Leventis Gallery, with the assistance of Styliana Ioannidou and Despina Christofidou.

As part of the exhibition, a photography competition for amateur photographers will be held, along with a parallel exhibition in collaboration with the People of Cyprus platform, educational programmes, photography workshops, and other events.

Look at Me Portraits in Greece

Exhibition of photographs by Robert A. McCabe. A.G. Leventis Gallery, Nicosia. April 10-September 14. Opening: 7pm. Thursday-Sunday: 10am-5pm. Wednesday: 10am-8pm. www.leventisgallery.org. Tel: 22-668838