© Nick Hannes

For a work-in-progress called ‘Projet Méditerranée,’ Belgian photographer Nick Hannes has been traveling through the  20 nations that border the Mediterranean Sea. “The idea is to document the vast area that once was the Roman Empire,” he explains. “Within this historical framework I focus on different contemporary issues, such as migration and cultural exchange between the three continents (Europe, Africa, Asia), the impact of mass tourism on the natural landscapes, urbanization, conflicts and territorial disputes.”

While photographing petrol stations in Greece that have been abandoned in the wake of the European financial crisis, Hannes came upon a Shell station that had been set up for the owner’s wedding party. The owner invited him to return that evening to take photos. Hannes intended to spend half an hour. “But you know how good parties evolve,” he says. “It was 3 am when I left.”

He recounts, “A family member said to me, ‘This is how we respond to a crisis. Please show these pictures to [German chancellor Angela] Merkel. A Greek keeps on laughing and celebrating, even when his money is being taken away.’ ” www.nickhannes.be

All Photos © Richard Misrach. Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, SF/ Marc Selwyn Fine Arts, LA/ Pace MacGill Gallery, NY.

Richard Misrach: Graecism, a collection of six vintage dye transfer prints taken between 1979-1981, is currently on view at the Yancey Richardson Gallery. Shot during his travels in Greece and Italy as a Guggenheim Fellow, the works mark the end of Misrach’s nighttime studies and the beginning of his color photography. He shot the images of ancient architectural sites, including the Parthenon and the Roman Forum, at dusk and at night with strobe lighting and long exposures. “Misrach’s long exposures emphasize the passage of time in the terms of the celestial” Yancey Richardson Gallery says. “His wandering, exploratory eye lends to the feeling of communing with the spirits of a long lost civilization.” To see more of Misrach’s work click here.

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Photo © Kristina Williamson.

Backed by a 2004 J. William Fulbright grant, New York-based photographer Kristina Williamson spent over a year on the Greek island of Kythera. Emigration away from the island has left many homes vacant or abandoned. The project examined the interactions between tradition and modernization among those who continue to live in Kythera. To see more photos, visit Williamson’s web site.

This image is part of “One Year on Kythera,” a photography exhibition on display at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington D.C. through August 21, 2009. More Information.