Effy Alexakis is one of the nation’s leading portrait and documentary photographers. A chronicler of the Greek-Australian experience since the early 1980s, her work is renowned for the dignity and complexity of its subjects, and for creating a holistic representation of humanity that spans geographies and generations. 

 

Viewfinder: Effy Alexakis was a survey of the artist’s 40-year-long practice and the themes that have underpinned her personal and professional journey to understanding her heritage. Each image delved into the nuances of the Greek-Australian identity, sharing stories of self-determination; the physical and emotional liminal spaces of the migrant experience; unity through difference in a country of meshed diasporas; the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic within the community; and the heartwarming philanthropy it inspired.

 

By capturing moments in time and rooting them in a sociocultural context that reaches far beyond the edges of her viewfinder, Effy’s work challenges the photographic medium. Though still, her images are far from static – just like the vibrant and evolving community they document.

 

Effy Alexakis’ work is held in major public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, the State Library of New South Wales, and the Australian Embassy in Athens.