Under Pressure
2023
Under Pressure is a visual investigation into the history of petroleum and gas in Albania and Greece. While in 2019 mining exploration divided public opinion in Greece, its neighbour, Albania, already had a century-long history in petrol exploitation, with an impact on the environment and surrounding communities. Blending the past and the present, this project questions the future of these underdeveloped regions on the EU’s south-eastern border, at a time when climate change and green energy transition are at the heart of the public debate. This local story of geopolitical importance for the Balkans has become the mirror of worldwide decisions that affect environmental sustainability.
In the face of a lack of information on the topic, with the support of iMedD – Incubator for Media Education and Development, the project was published as a journal distributed free of charge to the communities affected in both countries.
Portfolio
About the artist
Born in 1984, Penelope Thomaidi is a documentary photographer living in Athens. She is interested in the relationship between people and their land and often focuses on topics that relate to memory, self-determination and resistance. She works on long-term documentary projects, and also receives commissions from the press.