honorable mention
Stefanos Paikos germany
title
REACHING FOR DUSK
In 2022, I expanded the project to Turkey, documenting refugee situations in border cities like Van, Assos, Edirne, and Istanbul. I focused on the "Refugee House" in Assos and the "Cemetery of the Nameless" in Van, conducting interviews with border police officers to understand the challenges refugees face en route to Europe. I also explored Turkey's political and economic situation, including the upcoming elections and hyperinflation.
In 2023, I met Milad Ebrahimi, an Iranian with Afghan roots, who shared his harrowing journey from Iran to Germany. Milad's story highlights the struggles refugees experience, from racial discrimination to dangerous routes and costly smuggling fees. Despite reaching Hamburg, Milad still awaits a decision on his asylum application.
My photo project seeks to provide a comprehensive view of refugee living conditions and challenges while raising awareness for the human side of the crisis. By combining photographs and stories like Milad's, I hope to make their realities accessible to the public.
The long-term project „REACHING FOR DUSK“ will continue in the coming years, primarily in Iran and Afghanistan. The journey will take me through the Iranian cities of Tabriz, Tehran, and Yazd, as well as the border
city of Zabol and will end in the Afghan city of Kabul. In total, I will travel about 5,500 km. This part of the project will focus on documenting the living conditions and challenges of refugees traveling through these regions on their way to the European Union.
Projects:
2015: "Bahir Dar | Gich" - Photo documentation, Ethiopia after the civil war.
2016: "Dak'argva" - Documentation, Russia-Georgia conflict.
2018: "Iran | Kurdistan" - First part of the Kurdistan trilogy (two more parts to follow)
2020: "And When you See Me You Fall Apart" - Photo project, Covid-19 pandemic.
2022: "Reaching for Dusk" - Long-term project, refugee route Greece-Afghanistan.
Stefanos has completed extended stays abroad in Iran, Greece, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Georgia, with a thematic focus on social and ecological conflict fields.
back to gallery
entry description
In 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, I initiated the long-term project "REACHING FOR DUSK" to document the refugee route from Afghanistan to Greece, tracing their experiences and hardships. In 2021, I visited Lesbos, capturing the living conditions in the new Kara Tepe camp and the Greek population's response to the refugee crisis, pandemic, and economic struggles.In 2022, I expanded the project to Turkey, documenting refugee situations in border cities like Van, Assos, Edirne, and Istanbul. I focused on the "Refugee House" in Assos and the "Cemetery of the Nameless" in Van, conducting interviews with border police officers to understand the challenges refugees face en route to Europe. I also explored Turkey's political and economic situation, including the upcoming elections and hyperinflation.
In 2023, I met Milad Ebrahimi, an Iranian with Afghan roots, who shared his harrowing journey from Iran to Germany. Milad's story highlights the struggles refugees experience, from racial discrimination to dangerous routes and costly smuggling fees. Despite reaching Hamburg, Milad still awaits a decision on his asylum application.
My photo project seeks to provide a comprehensive view of refugee living conditions and challenges while raising awareness for the human side of the crisis. By combining photographs and stories like Milad's, I hope to make their realities accessible to the public.
The long-term project „REACHING FOR DUSK“ will continue in the coming years, primarily in Iran and Afghanistan. The journey will take me through the Iranian cities of Tabriz, Tehran, and Yazd, as well as the border
city of Zabol and will end in the Afghan city of Kabul. In total, I will travel about 5,500 km. This part of the project will focus on documenting the living conditions and challenges of refugees traveling through these regions on their way to the European Union.
about the photographer
Stefanos Paikos, born in 1985 in Larissa, Greece, is a photographer with a degree in architecture from Wiesbaden. His work focuses on intercultural themes and social issues, portraying people to break stereotypes. He has worked in countries such as Myanmar, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Georgia, Greece, Cuba, and Turkey.Projects:
2015: "Bahir Dar | Gich" - Photo documentation, Ethiopia after the civil war.
2016: "Dak'argva" - Documentation, Russia-Georgia conflict.
2018: "Iran | Kurdistan" - First part of the Kurdistan trilogy (two more parts to follow)
2020: "And When you See Me You Fall Apart" - Photo project, Covid-19 pandemic.
2022: "Reaching for Dusk" - Long-term project, refugee route Greece-Afghanistan.
Stefanos has completed extended stays abroad in Iran, Greece, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Georgia, with a thematic focus on social and ecological conflict fields.
back to gallery