Summary
- The MedPhoto Nomadic Library will be hosted in Elefsina from September 20 to November 20, 2026
- The first collection presented in Elefsina consists of 100 photobooks
- The opening takes place on September 20 at 18:00 with Pavlos Fysakis and Dimitris Kechris
- The collection will be hosted at the new Library of the 2nd General High School of Elefsina “Pyrounakeio”
- Admission is free to the public from Thursday to Sunday, from 17:30 to 20:30
- The event is part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Photographic Club of Eleusis
Event Details
The first collection of 100 photobooks from the MedPhoto Nomadic Library will be hosted from September 20 to November 20, 2026, at the new School Library of the 2nd General High School of Elefsina “Pyrounakeio”.
The Photographic Club of Eleusis, in collaboration with the 2nd General High School of Elefsina, is bringing the Nomadic Library to the city as part of its 10th anniversary programme. The opening is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 18:00, with photographers Pavlos Fysakis and Dimitris Kechris of the MedPhoto Festival as speakers, while the school’s new library will also be inaugurated on the same day.
The significance of the project goes beyond a simple book presentation: for two months, a school environment will give the wider public access to an organised collection devoted to the photobook, presenting photography as a complete publishing and narrative form. The Nomadic Library itself was created to support visual education, educational activities and public dialogue around photography and visual culture.
Opening on September 20 and inauguration of the school library
The official presentation will take place on Sunday, September 20 at 18:00 at the School Library of the 2nd General High School of Elefsina “Pyrounakeio”, at the junction of Iera Odos and Pangalou.
The Nomadic Library will be presented by Pavlos Fysakis and Dimitris Kechris of the MedPhoto Festival. At the same time, the event will mark the inauguration of the school’s new library.
The location is also confirmed by the official records of the Greek School Network, which list the 2nd General High School of Elefsina “Pyrounakeio” as an active public school unit at Iera Odos and Pangalou.
What the collection of 100 photobooks includes
Elefsina will host the first collection of the Nomadic Library, consisting of 100 different photobooks.
The importance of the project lies in treating the photobook not simply as a way to display photographs, but as an autonomous work in which image selection and sequencing, text, page design and the physical form of the book all contribute to a complete narrative.
The catalogue published by MedPhoto includes, among others, landmark publications such as Robert Frank’s “The Americans”, Nan Goldin’s “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency”, Masahisa Fukase’s “Ravens”, William Eggleston’s “Los Alamos, Revisited” and Josef Koudelka’s “Wall”. The collection covers different periods, photographic approaches and ways of connecting the image with social reality.
A library traveling across Greece since 2018
The Nomadic Library is an initiative of the international MedPhoto photography festival and is described by its organisers as the first traveling photobook collection in Greece.
Its journey began in 2018, and since then its collections have been hosted by universities, public libraries, cultural centres, photography schools and groups. As early as 2019, MedPhoto listed previous stops including the Rethymno Public Central Library, the Veria Public Central Library, the University of the Aegean library in Samos and the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Ziros.
The initiative has since expanded significantly beyond the collection of 100 titles that will be hosted in Elefsina. According to its official website, a donation by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in 2017 and sponsorship by Motor Oil in 2019 made the acquisition of the first 200 titles possible, while another 100 titles were added in 2021 with financial support received by KOLEKTIV8 from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports.
When the public can visit
The Nomadic Library will remain in Elefsina from September 20 to November 20, 2026.
Visiting hours are from 17:30 to 20:30. From Monday to Wednesday, access is reserved for members of the Photographic Club of Eleusis, while from Thursday to Sunday admission is free for the general public.
The two-month duration is important because it allows the collection to function as an actual library and study tool rather than as an exhibition that visitors see only once. This model is a core part of the Nomadic Library, which makes its collections available to educational and cultural institutions for periods ranging from one to four months.
Ten years of the Photographic Club of Eleusis
In 2026, the Photographic Club of Eleusis marks a decade since its creation. The Club states that it has been a legal entity since December 2016 and was created by amateur photographers brought together by their interest in creative photography.
Its activities include classes and workshops, presentations of photographic projects, photo walks, exhibitions and participation in festivals. Hosting the Nomadic Library is part of the anniversary programme being organised over the coming months at cultural venues in Elefsina.
What we think
This project carries more value than another standalone photography event because it gives the public time and access to a medium that often remains in the shadow of the exhibition and the individual image. A photobook demands a different pace of reading and can demonstrate much more completely how a photographer turns a body of images into a narrative.
Connecting the collection with a new school library is also significant: it brings photographic education into an educational environment while opening that environment to the local community. The fact that public access will remain free four days a week for two months makes the project substantially more meaningful than a one-off presentation.
Frequently asked questions
When does the MedPhoto Nomadic Library open in Elefsina?
The official opening and presentation will take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 18:00.
Where will it be hosted?
At the new School Library of the 2nd General High School of Elefsina “Pyrounakeio”, at the junction of Iera Odos and Pangalou.
Is admission free?
From Thursday to Sunday, admission is free to the general public between 17:30 and 20:30. From Monday to Wednesday, access is reserved for members of the Photographic Club of Eleusis.
How long will the collection remain in Elefsina?
The collection will be hosted for two months, from September 20 to November 20, 2026.
What is the MedPhoto Nomadic Library?
It is the first traveling photobook collection in Greece, a MedPhoto initiative that has been moving between educational and cultural institutions since 2018 to support visual education and public dialogue around photography.
