Summary
- “Documenting Nomadic Pastoralism” takes place in Ioannina on 9 November 2026.
- Katerina Kourou will present documentary photographs, and Ioannis Drinis will discuss pastoral traditions.
- The event accompanies an Elli Papadimitriou exhibition at the Silversmithing Museum.
- Admission is free, but reservations are required.
Event Details
A photography-focused event exploring the documentation of nomadic pastoralism will take place on Monday, 9 November 2026, at 18:00 at the Silversmithing Museum in Ioannina, Greece.
“Documenting Nomadic Pastoralism” is organized by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP) in collaboration with the Photometria International Photography Festival, marking the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026.
How photographers documented pastoral life
Photographer Katerina Kourou will present work by different photographers, exploring how transhumant livestock farming and pastoral traditions have been documented over time. Her presentation approaches the subject through visual anthropology and documentary photography.
Ioannis Drinis, Assistant Professor of Folklore at the University of Ioannina’s Department of History and Archaeology, will then discuss the practices and cultural significance of transhumance, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. An open discussion with the audience will follow.
Elli Papadimitriou and rural Greece between the wars
The event runs alongside the exhibition “The Rough Substance of Things | Elli Papadimitriou”, on view at the same museum until 30 November 2026. Her photographs taken in Epirus and Macedonia between 1928 and 1931 document aspects of rural and pastoral life in Greece during that period.
The exhibition forms part of the Photometria 2026 programme in Ioannina, bringing historical photographs into dialogue with contemporary questions about images and memory.
Date, venue and reservations
The event takes place on Monday, 9 November 2026, at 18:00 at the Silversmithing Museum, in the Its Kale Acropolis inside Ioannina Castle.
Admission is free, but advance reservation is required because seating is limited. For bookings and information, call +30 26510 64065, any day except Tuesday, between 10:00 and 17:00.
What we think
Documentary photography matters when it helps us see the lives and work of people whose everyday experiences rarely take centre stage. Pictures of pastoral communities can reveal a great deal about landscape, movement and the relationship between people and animals, provided we look beyond their picturesque qualities.
What makes this event worth following is the combination of photographic work and a folklorist’s perspective. For anyone interested in documentary photography, it is a useful reminder that a compelling image gains depth when we understand the people and history behind it.
Frequently asked questions
Is admission free, and do I need a reservation?
Admission is free, but reservation is mandatory. Call +30 26510 64065 any day except Tuesday, between 10:00 and 17:00.
Can I visit the Elli Papadimitriou exhibition after the event?
Yes. “The Rough Substance of Things” remains on view at the Silversmithing Museum until 30 November 2026.
