Faces + Masks invites viewers into a world where ancient rituals, intricate costumes, and cultural heritage collide. Captured through the lens of photographer Nikos Vavdinoudis, this series explores the fascinating traditions of rural Northern Greece, specifically the costumes and rituals of eight mountain villages.

 

These performances, known as dromena, are steeped in history, rooted in the Dionysian rites of ancient Greece, and are still practiced today. The dromena are symbolic rituals performed to cleanse the land and its people of evil spirits, ensuring the fertility of both the soil and the community. These traditions are particularly significant in the agrarian regions of Eastern Macedonia, where prosperity is closely tied to the regeneration of nature. For the people in these villages, a good year is a bountiful one—marked by healthy crops, flourishing wildlife, and the cycle of life.

 

Through Faces + Masks, Nikos Vavdinoudis offers us a rare glimpse into a world where masks are more than just props—they are keys to understanding a culture that thrives on myth, ritual, and the cyclical rhythms of nature. These vivid, evocative images invite us to reflect on the ways ancient traditions continue to shape the lives of those who still practice them today.​