A major exhibition dedicated to the photographic work of Joan Leigh Fermor is now on display in Hydra, offering a rare glimpse into her artistic vision and travels across Greece and beyond.

The exhibition features a curated selection from approximately 5,000 photographs, slides and prints preserved at the National Library of Scotland. Taken mainly during the 1940s and 1950s, the images document journeys across North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Europe — but above all, Greece.

Hydra held a special place in the couple’s life. During the 1950s, the island became a meeting point for a close circle of artists and intellectuals, including painter Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas and artist John Craxton.

Always travelling with her camera, often a Rolleiflex, Joan Leigh Fermor captured landscapes, people and everyday life with remarkable sensitivity. Her work reflects a deep appreciation for nature, human connection and cultural identity.

According to the exhibition’s curator Xavier Francesco Salomon, her photographs stand out for their authenticity and lyrical quality, untouched by trends or external influence.

Rather than focusing on dates and locations, the exhibition emphasises the photographer’s unique gaze — quiet, elegant and deeply observant. Each image is carefully composed, highlighting textures, forms and fleeting moments.

Although she occasionally photographed for publications such as Architectural Review and Horizon, and contributed to her husband’s landmark books Mani (1958) and Roumeli (1966), most of her work was created for personal fulfilment.

Literary critic Cyril Connolly once described her vividly, recalling her walking with a camera slung over her shoulder, capturing the world with natural grace and curiosity.

Today, her images preserve a way of life that has largely disappeared, offering a poetic window into mid-20th century landscapes and societies.

Accompanying publication

The exhibition is accompanied by the publication “The Outward Gaze” edited by Olivia Stewart and released in 2024. The volume provides an in-depth study of Joan Leigh Fermor’s photographic archive and serves as a tribute to her enduring artistic legacy.
For those of you making a late Spring or early Summer trip to Hydra, this is something to look forward to.

DURATION: 09/05 – 26/07/2026

Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 16:00 & 19:30 – 21:30

Further details available on the Museum of Hydra website here.