"Kale" 2006-present

Didimoticho is a small town located in the eastern part of the prefecture of the Evros River which is right on the border between Greece and Turkey. Today Didimoticho has roughly nine thousand inhabitants out of which approximately two thousand are Greek Muslim and another even smaller minority, are the immigrants of Greek origin from the former Soviet Republics.

The remains of its history and traditions have faded over the years while the stigma of a new unbalanced and fragmented society is emerging. I am interested in understanding and describing this process by interacting and photographing a very particular microcosm composed of just a few families, those of Muslim background.

However, for many of them living is a daily struggle and permanent housing is not a fact for all. There are families that live in the Kale-caves just below the ruins of the Byzantine castle hill walls which encircle the town. “Kalé” is an isolated cluster of dwellings dense with colorful rugs, animals and satellite dishes; a micro-world suspended in time and space.

This minority group, which represents the last survivors of a larger ancient world, is waiting to be relocated to new houses on the outskirts of the town.