Christos Kalemkeris Photography Museum

Christos Kalemkeris was born in Thessaloniki in 1930 from parents from Asia Minor. He lived the difficult years of the occupation in Kalamaria. From a very young age, his entrepreneurial genius found a way out, first in the confectionery industry, later in the textile industry and finally in construction. However, in parallel with his main work, his great love for his homeland is born and ignites, which will push him in the search and collection of objects of historical value.

Initially, he was involved in the collection of stamps that enabled him to immerse himself in the history of each place and to build it himself gradually. The gold medals in European competitions, culminating in the award of the Ionian State History through postal history, after bringing him the last distinction and recognition in the circle of European collectors, pushed him to turn to the collection of historical photographs very early, even their sale flourished in European auction houses.

From the 1970s, his passion for photography led him to all the major cities in Europe, to the biggest European auction houses, searching and “hitting” the photos that he felt were advertising his place worldwide and that they belonged to him. He felt it his national duty to repatriate these national works of art and to establish his own private collection.

Gradually created one of the largest in value and content photo files. His travels in Europe, his visits to museums, his thirst for knowledge of the history of Greece, broadened his passion for photography. Over time, he became more involved in the collectible puzzles of old photographs: second-hand shops in Europe’s major cities became his permanent hangouts, and he also penetrated auction houses, first as a buyer and later as an appraiser. By 2001, when he donated his collection to the Municipality of Kalamaria, he had managed to establish himself both as a collector and as a specialist in collectible photography.

The experience from abroad created in Christos Kalemkeris the desire to establish a museum as well. So, he made the decision to donate the material he created with effort and deposit of personal property. Contacts for the creation of a museum began with the then Minister of Culture Mr. Venizelos. The purpose was to integrate the archive in the Museum of Photography of Thessaloniki. However, for reasons of ethics, Mr. Kalemkeris chose to donate his valuable material to his particular homeland, Kalamaria.

Indeed, in 2001 Christos Kalemkeris donated his archive to the Municipality of Kalamaria, which founded the Museum of Photography as an Entity of Legal Law. A part of the archive was purchased by the Municipality of Kalamaria, as a sign of honor in his person. For this reason the Museum bears his name, and he was awarded by the municipality as a Grand Donor. Christos Kalemkeris, as the founder and president of the Museum, delimited and coordinated his action plan in the field of exhibitions and publications, creating with a very small group of collaborators a publishing and exhibition center of nationwide scope. In October 2016, he left voluntarily, passing on his vision to his successors.