Summary
- Ypatia Kornarou presents MOOD and RARE in Elefsina on 18 October 2026.
- MOOD explores the photographic expression of emotion.
- RARE tells stories of people living with rare diseases.
- The presentation begins at 18:30 and admission is free.
Event Details
Photographer Ypatia Kornarou brings two books with distinct starting points but a shared interest in human experience to Elefsina on Sunday, 18 October.
She will present MOOD and RARE at 18:30 at the Art & Culture Café on the Elefsina waterfront, as part of the Elefsina Photography Club’s tenth-anniversary programme. Admission is free.
Two books, two ways of approaching human experience
MOOD explores how emotional states can take photographic form. It is Kornarou’s first photobook, previously presented in Athens in October 2025. Through sequencing and visual associations, the book offers a subjective reading of emotions rather than insisting on a single interpretation.
RARE takes another path: it is a conceptual photographic documentary about people living with rare diseases and their families. The project developed over approximately two years following an invitation from the “95” Greek Alliance for Rare Patients. It was also presented as an exhibition and photobook at the Athens Rare Diseases Festival.
In an in-depth interview about RARE and empathy in photography, Kornarou discussed trust, privacy and her relationship with the people she photographs. These are especially important questions for work that explores everyday lives beyond medical diagnoses.
The Elefsina presentation
The gathering is part of the Elefsina Photography Club’s tenth-anniversary events. A representative of the “95” association will also attend and offer a short greeting. Following earlier Athens presentations, the event offers a chance for audiences to engage with the books and the stories behind their images.
When: Sunday, 18 October 2026, 18:30. Where: Art & Culture Café, Kanellopoulou & Salaminos, Elefsina waterfront. Admission: Free.
Ypatia Kornarou is a fine-art photographer, curator and photography educator. Her practice explores the relationship between people and their environment, and she has exhibited in Greece and internationally.
What we think
Presenting these two books together makes sense precisely because they tell different stories. MOOD begins with the elusive personal experience of emotion. RARE turns towards the lives of other people, placing the photographer’s responsibility towards her subjects at the centre of the work.
For photographers making, or planning, a photobook, the physical sequencing is particularly worth examining. The sample spreads show changes of scale, generous white space and a dialogue between portraits and details. A printed book sets a very different pace from scrolling through images on a screen.
With RARE, the more difficult question is who gets to tell a sensitive human story, and under what conditions. Kornarou’s openness about building trust and respecting boundaries gives this presentation a significance beyond the visual qualities of the pictures.
