Alkis X. Xanthakis

Alkis X. Xanthakis is a photography historian, photographer, and educator. He directs the AKTO photography school, the first photography school established in Greece in 1968, where he also teaches. He is a collector of old cameras, with his collection now numbering over 1,500. He is considered an expert in the history of Greek photography, and his book "History of Greek Photography 1839-1970" (Academy of Athens Award) remains the sole reference tool for all researchers (11 editions). In 2009, after twenty-seven years of supplementary research, the book was rewritten and released in a new format. His life's work also includes the "Dictionary of Photographers 1839-1960: Greek Photographers and Foreign Photographers in Greece," which was funded by the European Union and released as a trilingual DVD by the Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA)/MIET in 2006. Alkis X. Xanthakis is a founding member of the European Society for the History of Photography and a photography consultant for museums. He also writes for Greek and international publications and is a permanent contributor to the magazine "Photographer." In 1995, the International Federation of Photographic Art awarded him the honorary distinction ESFIAP and a diploma for his contributions to historical photographic research, related writing, and education. From 2004 to 2008, he served as a board member of the Hellenic Cultural Heritage Promotion Organization. As a photographer, he primarily works in artistic black-and-white photography, using the potassium dichromate and cyanotype methods, two non-silver techniques from the 19th century. He has presented his photographic works in solo exhibitions in Greece and abroad. He has published 17 books.