Honouring My Nana: My Second Photography Exhibition

On Friday, March 27th, 2026, I had the honour of participating in my second photography exhibition, once again held at the Cultural Venue Palia Ilektriki in Paphos.

After taking part in my very first exhibition last year, being invited back for a second time felt incredibly special. This year’s exhibition brought together both male and female photographers and was titled “Φωτογραφία Γένους Θηλυκού”, a theme celebrating the female perspective in photography and continuing to honour International Women’s Day on March 8th.

This year, I had six photographs displayed on the wall, which felt like a meaningful step forward from my first exhibition experience.

One photograph in particular held deep personal significance. Among the images I exhibited was a black and white portrait of my grandmother. I am very grateful to the organiser, Theodora Zaggoulou, who kindly allowed me to include it, even though it might not have been the most commercial photograph in the exhibition or one that would necessarily sell. For me, however, its presence meant everything.

The exhibition featured more than 70 unique photographs, and the opening night was a great success. What made the event even more meaningful was its charitable purpose: all proceeds from photographs sold were donated to Ίδρυμα ΙΘΑΚΗ in Cyprus, a philanthropic organisation that supports individuals living with dementia.
Because my grandmother also lived with dementia, this cause resonated deeply with me.

On the day of the exhibition, my parents came to the venue and walked around the gallery. When we reached the portrait of my grandmother, the moment became very emotional for all of us. Standing there together, looking at her photograph on the wall, we found ourselves quietly tearful.

In that moment, I felt incredibly grateful to have honoured my Nana in such a meaningful way. Even though I know she probably would have disliked the idea of her photo being displayed publicly — and likely would have criticised the picture of herself — it still felt like a beautiful tribute to her memory.

I also felt proud and deeply honoured that once again my photographs were displayed on the wall, reflecting special moments from my life and travels that I have captured through my camera lens.

Looking back, it feels surreal. Years ago, in 2014, when I first picked up a borrowed camera from a university flatmate and began experimenting with photography, I could never have imagined that one day my photographs would be exhibited for others to see.

A special thank you once again to Theodora Zaggoulou for giving me the opportunity to participate in this exhibition, and of course to my parents for always supporting me in everything I pursue.

Moments like these remind me why I fell in love with photography in the first place — because sometimes a photograph is more than just an image; it is a memory, a tribute, and a story that continues to live on.