- the last photo journal of summer 2010

3 DAY PHOTO JOURNAL IN CALIFORNIA:
WEST HOLLYWOOD
VENICE BEACH
SANTA MONICA
HOLLYWOOD HILLS
MALIBU
NEWPORT

DEDICATED TO MARIA [Maroula ]XENOU;
MOTHER OF TWO AND GRANDMOTHER OF THREE -

- Maria Garozi

HAPPY TOGETHER -

Old poster of the film "Rebel without a cause" with James Dean

IMAGINE GARIA AND MYSELF STROLLING ON VENICE BEACH WITH LITTLE FROG KEEPING OUR JOURNAL AND TAKING PHOTOS OF ALL THE REBELS WITHOUT A CAUSE -

IMAGINE OUR HEART BEATING TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 6 YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN AMERICA!

IMAGINE GARIA'S EXCITEMENT THIS MORNING. SHE IS LISTENING THE SONG "Happy Together" FROM THE LOS ANGELES BAND The Turtles WAITING FOR THE AMERICAN KID, WHOM WE HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE OUR LAST SUMMER IN MYCONOS, TO COME SPEND THE DAY WITH US -

IMAGINE THAT WE ARE HAPPY TOGETHER
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU FOLLOW FINDING EIDOTHEA
THANK YOU!

LOVE FROM LOS ANGELES

- Maria Garozi & Garia August

- the real characters # A

Hose del Siap whose true name is Elina, didn't need to pack a lot in order to have the best and most memorable vacation. The first time we agreed with Irene to randomly go for free camping to the island of Elafonisos, Irene had packed her car with everything one could imagine. You could barely see the back window of the car and the left window on the back seat had to remain open because the special three dimensional camping tent that her father had bought some years ago in Spain didn’t fit inside the car and half of it was hanging out of the window. When I tried to put my staff on the back seat, I encountered a mini chaos. An inflatable mattress lying on top of a huge refrigerator which was full with food and drinks and then next to it that was an enormous bag with clothes and creams and a second bag filled with medicine. Well, the medicine I could understand. Irene has always been the hypochondriac type of person. Just a tiny little bite from a mosquito and she would rush to Elina screaming " Koritsiaaaa (word for Girls in Greek) I am dying from an unknown decease. I can feel it in my blood growing. Look at this huge bite. Oh My God I will die young!” and needless to say how many nights she spent at the emergency room. Obviously the exit diagnosis from the doctors always read: Entry due to unknown factor/ patient Irene K. But all those clothes and food didn’t make sense just for the weekend.

When we stopped with the car to pick up Elina we were both speechless. All her luggage was a 24 pack of toilet paper. Nothing else accompanying that toilet paper. Just toilet paper. The one with extra strength.

“Is that all you are bringing with you?” I asked

“Well I am sure Irene has thought of all the strictly necessary things, which translates to her entire house including the latest antibacterial ointment in case the rare bug species that only grow in Elafonisos bite her in the middle of her sleep at the tent, so I thought to be just practical and bring something I really find a necessity since the bushes of the island will have to be our restroom for two days"

“Great thinking” Irene said. "Indeed, we will need lots of it, not only because we are going for free camping but also in case we need to cover our wounds from the rare bug species” We all smiled and headed to our first adventure at the island.

I can still hear the horn of Irene's Jeep car signaling to Elina to come downstairs. I try to fit my staff on the back seat. The radio is playing the song of the band Manu Chao that Irene loves. I notice the turquise tshirt that Elina is wearing. Approaching at the car she screams to me" Garozi are you ready for our first adventure together?" But when I look out of the window, the New York streets are empty. My Indian friend is passing by only. Seeing me at the window, he screams to me: "Koukla (word for Doll in Greek), when are you taking me for vacation to Greece?". "Soon my friend, soon" I reply and I close the window as I am shutting down my memory's past.

How do you feel about those two characters after reading this small story? Would you like to read more about them and our adventures?

- Post July 15th, 2010 - Return to Voyage Voyage

Photos from the exhibit hanging now at the 6th street studio

The lights at the studio on 6th street were off. I tried to get a glimpse of the space from the window with a hope that at least the one who writes in the dark will be inside. But noone was home. I heard a noise from the street. It was L.M. cleaning. She looked at me and said:
"They are all gone for Maria's exhibit"
"When you say all, what do you mean?"
"All three of them. Gone. One after the other.
Garia went with the bicycle with her sneakers on because she was late as usual"

Upon my arrival at the loft of Eleni Delimpaltadakis and Spencer Janis where the event was taking place, I realized how much Maria has changed. Her posture was straight with the confidence of a person who knows how to present her art. Her smile was sharp and complete and her portrait photos were finally not washed out. That proved to me that she has evolved to a person who is open to share her creativity and can at last capture not only what the heart demands but also what the subject is willing to give away. I remember her coming home a year ago only with negatives of landscapes. Very few shots of people. It was a result of her fear to connect, especially with her roots. Now she is strong and ready to go back to the roots, back to the Greek origin. She can communicate and share again with people like she has been doing with all of you through this blog for the past months. And most of you like most of the Greek Americans embraced her like a creative voice of your own.

Foto by Fotis Papagermanos, ETA IMAGe

Garia on the other side, still remains the creative ? of the three.
She hasnt evolved, or has she?
During the event she was standing on the left side of Maria with the desire to hear the feedback of the guests who where there to see the photo exhibit:

"I havent seen such photos of the streets of New York since the era of Berenice Abbott" quoted to the artist Olga Alexakos, president of A.G.A.P.W.

"You depict the suffering of the immigrants as seen through the eyes of your own experience as an immigrant. You should try to take this ehxibit to Washington" mentioned the gallerist and private curator and advisor on contemporary art Venetia Kapernekas.

"I like your photos but you say you also want to write a book- And go ahead and do it-I did it in 1962. It was my first novel, titled Epiplomena Domatia; Furnished Rooms, which the year after was awarded the Greek National Prize for Novel.
You are young and beautiful, and I know everyone wants to become known - but this MUST LAST....Good Luck" said the Greek author Ioanna Karatzaferi

The best moment of the exhibit was when Eidothea gathered Maria and Garia and announced:"Enjoy this day and dream of more success to arrive to us. For do not forget what it took to get here. Dont forget the journey of Finding Eidothea

To that Maria replied:

And now what is next ?

Eidothea retorted:
The Gods call us to return to VOYAGE VOYAGE

Garia said:

Now you need to tell everyone about the day that you took the first photo of this exhibit...You went out to take photos thinking of a man. Do you remember?

And finally I approached and told them:

Turn the memory back again. Those who follow want to know....Write...Write.....

I love you all three

- D.X.G.