The island of Nisyros: A Photographic Essay by Katherine Schwab, Professor at Fairfield University, Connecticut opened at the Consulate General of Greece in New York 2.28.2019

Few people can answer what is the connection between the small Greek island of Nisyros and the study of Greek archaeology. This tiny volcanic island situated in the Dodecanese complex is the only Greek island present in the monumental Parthenon temple, at the Acropolis of Athens.

This connection is an introduction to the exhibition “Nisyros: A Photographic Essay” jointly organized by the University of Fairfield in Connecticut and the Consulate General of Greece in New York. It opened on February 28.

Professor Katherine Schwab at the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Fairfield University has dedicated a significant amount of her scientific work to the study of the Parthenon. She first visited the island of Nisyros to discover how its physical features align with its portrayal in the Parthenon East Metope 6.

According to Greek mythology, the island was formed when the Olympian god of the sea, Poseidon cut off a part of Kos and threw it onto a giant to stop him from escaping.  The mythological battle of Olympian Gods fighting Earthborn Giants originally dominated the front of the ancient temple.

The journey of Professor Schwab to Nisiros gave life to the photographic exhibition hosted by the Greek Consulate. The landscape and its unique geological formations exert their own visual power on the visitor today, as the photographs reveal.

The opening night was marked by the presence of the populous community of Nysirian-Americans residing in New York. The island is birthplace to some of the most eminent members of the Greek-American Community of the City. The master of ceremonies was Anthoula Katsimatides, proud descendant of Nisyrians. The Consul General of Greece in New York praised the contribution of the people of Nisyros to the Greek-American Community and the Dean of Fairfield University spoke of a fruitful collaboration between the Consulate and the academia that dates back to a long time ago. Professor Schwab highlighted her experience through her encounters with the Greek lands and our ancient history.

The exhibition runs through March 14, at the Consulate General of Greece in New York.

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