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23.Wandering through Time
Thoughts and images from Sifnos, Greece, 2015.
The Greek island of Sifnos is crisscrossed with a myriad of footpaths that have existed for thousands of years. For many centuries the main transportation system of the island, these paths are still used by local inhabitants and their donkeys.
The Greek island of Sifnos is crisscrossed with a myriad of footpaths that have existed for thousands of years. For many centuries the main transportation system of the island, these paths are still used by local inhabitants and their donkeys.
03/08/2022
Artist Statement:
The Greek island of Sifnos is crisscrossed with a myriad of footpaths that have existed for thousands of years. For many centuries the main transportation system of the island, these paths are still used by local inhabitants and their donkeys. They are also accessible to anyone with the inclination to wander along them, providing a unique perspective of the landscape of the entire island and an opportunity to peer deep into history.
Kastro, the ancient capital of Sifnos, has been continually inhabited for 3000 years. More than 5000 years ago, gold and silver were mined at numerous locations on the island. Millennia of history are everywhere, hanging in the air. Here, the present and the past exist together.
Wandering over hills and through valleys, where time is marked only by ancient stone walls and smoothed marble footpaths, the present mixes with the past. The farmer one encounters riding his donkey could exist now or hundreds of years ago. When asked about the age of buildings, walls, pathways and other artifacts, the only answer one hears is, “Old.” No one knows how old. These things have always been part of the landscape and the lives of the people, and are very much part of the present. This seemingly seamless merging of thousands of years of history is on display for all those Wandering through Time.
A valuable resource for hiking on the island of Sifnos is the organization Sifnos Trails.
This series of photographs was taken in 2015.
Images from the series (click to view): Wandering #8, Wandering #1, Wandering #13.
There are other images in this series that are not on this website. If you are interested in more information about them, please leave a message below or email me.
The Greek island of Sifnos is crisscrossed with a myriad of footpaths that have existed for thousands of years. For many centuries the main transportation system of the island, these paths are still used by local inhabitants and their donkeys. They are also accessible to anyone with the inclination to wander along them, providing a unique perspective of the landscape of the entire island and an opportunity to peer deep into history.
Kastro, the ancient capital of Sifnos, has been continually inhabited for 3000 years. More than 5000 years ago, gold and silver were mined at numerous locations on the island. Millennia of history are everywhere, hanging in the air. Here, the present and the past exist together.
Wandering over hills and through valleys, where time is marked only by ancient stone walls and smoothed marble footpaths, the present mixes with the past. The farmer one encounters riding his donkey could exist now or hundreds of years ago. When asked about the age of buildings, walls, pathways and other artifacts, the only answer one hears is, “Old.” No one knows how old. These things have always been part of the landscape and the lives of the people, and are very much part of the present. This seemingly seamless merging of thousands of years of history is on display for all those Wandering through Time.
A valuable resource for hiking on the island of Sifnos is the organization Sifnos Trails.
This series of photographs was taken in 2015.
Images from the series (click to view): Wandering #8, Wandering #1, Wandering #13.
There are other images in this series that are not on this website. If you are interested in more information about them, please leave a message below or email me.
Wandering #8
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