Stella Johnson

In 1997 I made a portrait of ‘Tio Jose’ Ortiz in front of the Cathedral in Oaxaca for a story on Colonial Architecture for Continental Airlines Magazine. He was the patriarch of the family I have known since 1987. When Tio Jose died the next year, I gifted a print of that image to each of his adult children. Last year, his grandson Jose Manuel asked for a copy of the image. I had one made and we made a ‘recreation’ of Jose Manuel with Tio Jose, same location, 22 years later.

Every year I photographed Roula and her family and grandmother Agiro. In 2016, every day after the national naptime, I climbed the hills and was invited to have coffee with Roula and her family before visiting my cousins. In 2018, we decided to re-create the image with Roula’s sister Nikki standing in for Roula, and inviting her mother and brother Jimmy to join.

It is Greek tradition to name grandchildren after their grandparents. On the left, Nikita Hairetis, with his grandchild, in front of the shadow of Yagkos, the son and the father.

On the right, Nikita Harietis with his son Yagkos and grandson Nikita.

Marilena and friends during the paniyiri (celebration) for the Prophet Elias at the Aeraki metato (shepherd’s house with a chapel).

Agiro holds a photograph of herself and friends taken 50 years before. I saw it when we were going through her family albums. I also saw photographs I had gifted to the family over the years in those same albums. 

Maria, one of the friends who is pictured in the image Agiro is holding, returns every summer to visit. 

On the left, Polios, a shepherd but father first, making Graviera cheese with the help of his daughter Irini. It was his father-in-law Lykorgos who invited me into the village with an impromptu party the year before.

On the right, Polios and his daughter Irini, who does not remember the making of the earlier image.