In 2023, Greece was struck by a series of devastating natural disasters. Wildfires and floods claimed many lives and left behind destroyed homes, desolated landscapes and entire communities plunged into loss and uncertainty.

Determined to understand what happens when the media spotlight fades, documentary photographer Ilir Tsouko and writer Anja Troelenberg traveled to the affected sites months after the disasters. They took a long field trip to Rhodes, Thessaly, and Evros, where the environment had been irrevocably altered. In this transformed landscape, they documented complex human responses that reveal not only darkness and despair but also hope and renewal. Their work captures the challenges faced by those left to rebuild, as well as the resilience of the people and their communities.

The extensive material of this travelogue, now presented in an exhibition at the Goethe-Institut Athen, consists of photographs, videos and stories that give voice to the very people who experienced the disaster and capture their contrasting emotions and experiences. What emerges is that catastrophes don’t just destroy, they reveal – and force us to confront the reality of our society: how we fall apart or come together when faced with the unimaginable.

The project is supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation - Thessaloniki Office.