D.Papadimos (1918-1994) belongs to the exceptional generation of photographers who based only on their inspiration left behind a legacy of great value and quality. His archives, that consist of 80,000 negatives, were donated to ELIA by his wife Liana Papadimou in 1994. Papadimos was born in Cairo in 1918.

He is considered a self-instructed photographer. He came to Greece for the first time in 1940 in order to do his military service. After the war he returns to Egypt and works as a freelance photographer for various magazines. During this period he becomes a great friend of the renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy.

Fathy, inspired by the local tradition, decided to create an original village, the New Gourna which was equipped with all modern facilities but respected at the same time the life style and the customs of the people of the Egyptian countryside. Papadimos makes photos of this innovation and of the indigenous people. These pictures are included in Fathy's book "Building with people" which is published in 1969. A few years later the same book appeared in the USA under a more general title "Architecture for the Poor".

Papadimos feels at home in Egypt, he travels around the country and takes pictures of the people and every aspect of their everyday life without indulging to folklore. He will follow the same steps in Greece where he returns in the mid 50's. Papadimos is determined this time to discover his second home country through photos of the land and its habitants, his new brothers.

He travels throughout Greece and depicts in his images "the deeds and days of the people", both in the countryside and the cities. His look however is neither simple nor superficial. Through his photos he takes part in the events, he shows a deep interest in the scenes which are really touching because they are pictures of the man and his daily strive.

Vassiliki Hatzigeorgiou / ELIA Photography Archive