MARIA DRAKAKI

Bio

Maria Drakaki was born and raised in Paros, she lives there still.With roots in the beautiful Crete, her family has been found on Paros since the 18th century. Often notes how the island’s unique qualities inform her work. A professional photographer and teacher, she studied at the prestigious LEICA Academy of Athens. By nature an activist and socially conscious artist, she began her career as a news photographer, but later turned to the dramatic lure of the pure image in black and white. In addition to group exhibitions at the LEICA Academy, her exhibit “Ore Mines” was presented on the island of Serifos, followed by an impressive solo exhibition entitled “On the Vehicle of Time”  with metallic prints. Traveling twice to Kyoto, Japan, she created her second solo exhibition, “Kyoto-One Month Neighborhood”, and later, "Little Retrospective". She also participated in the 1st & 2nd  Photosphere in Patmos, Greece, and at the International Festival Pil'ours at Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France. She is invited to do the Exhibition Curating at the 3rd International Photoshere Festival. .After the publication of her book, in 2021, "Photographs of a Life" participates in the group exhibition of Paros Art Gallery. She photographs the amazing film "La Bella Greca or what is left". Finally, she participates in group exhibitions at the Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, and at "The Art of Social Media" in the Basilica of St. Mark, Crete (with additional distinction from the jury). For the last ten years, she has taught black and white photography and digital imaging at Hellenic International Studies in the Arts (HISA) on Paros. When not in the darkroom or exploring the world for images, Maria Drakaki can be found in her apiary, practicing the ancient occupation of beekeeping.