希腊北部神秘面具庆典，传统与信仰的融合

Project Name: Faces + Masks

Posted in: Photography

Photographer: Nikos Vavdinoudis

Through his  Faces + Masks  series, Greek photographer  Nikos Vavdinoudis  captures the unusual yet ancient customs of certain towns and villages in Eastern Macedonia, a rural area situated in  Northern Greece . Known for their elaborate animalistic costumes and symbolic rituals, these customs that take place at the beginning of January (around the 6th to be exact) which coincide with the Orthodox Christian holiday of the baptism of Christ are actually believed to date back to before Christianity, in fact to ancient Dionysian celebrations of fertility due to their apparent chthonic and shamanistic nature. According to  Vavdinoudis , the locals see no contradiction between the pagan character of their customs and their Christian context, since these rituals are meant to be ‘‘a praise to a fertile and good year’’, a gesture which in turn ‘‘rests on the pillars of fruitfulness and productivity.’’

Faces + Masks series. Location: Petrousa, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Kali Vrysi, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Pyrgi, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Nikisiani, Kavala Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Xiropotamos, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis. For the  Faces + Masks  project,  Vavdinoudis  travelled to the villages of Monastiraki, Xiropotamos, Petrousa, Pyrgi, Kali Vrysi, Volakas, Pagoneri and Nikisiani between the 6 and 8 of January. Whilst there, he followed the locals on their celebrations, all the while documenting their customs ranging from performers hanging huge cow bells from their waist (which creates a thunderous noise as they dance through the village) to other locals wearing costumes made out of brown fur with an elongated head thus blurring the lines between an animal and a human. In his desire to create a juxtaposition between the masked and unmasked individuals, the photographer captured images of his subjects while wearing their ritualistic costume (in natural light and outdoors) and also without their masks (indoors and in studio conditions). As Vavdinoudis  himself points out, by exposing the face behind the mask, it becomes clear how an individual can perform different roles in his or her social environment. {YatzerTip}  Rediscover our previous story about photographer  Jimmy Nelson 's ' Before They Pass Away ' project, where he documents no less than 35 small indigenous tribes from around the world and their rich culture.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Xiropotamos, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Xiropotamos, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Monastiraki, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Xiropotamos, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Volakas, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Pagoneri, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Pagoneri, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Kali Vrysi, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Volakas, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Volakas, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Volakas, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Volakas, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Monastiraki, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Monastiraki, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Monastiraki, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Monastiraki, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.

Faces + Masks series. Location: Petrousa, Drama Prefecture, Greece. Photo © Nikos Vavdinoudis.