In our bi-weekly DIVE series, we descend into the murky waters of Instagram and bring you some of the accounts worth following. Today’s article takes a closer look at the PlaymoGreek project. Dive in!
Petros Kamin, the editor, and creative mind behind the site didn’t set out to make something cool out of his deep attachment to Playmobil, it all started as a game. But as he got older, his hobby became more and more serious.
He was only five years old when, after his first folk dance performance, he started dressing his Native American Playmobil figures in Greek national costumes. The textiles and materials he experimented with at first were simpler: for example, he made the various outfits and accessories out of tissue paper. At the age of eighteen, he decided he wanted to take this project more seriously, so he started investing in higher-quality fabrics and tried to copy Greek folk costumes as closely as possible. “I’ve been doing it ever since, and I’ll keep doing it until I complete all the regions and different costume types—which means forever,” Petros said.
He knows that for many people, folk costumes and traditions are outdated and belong in a museum, but he has also realized that people may still be willing to be open to certain things if they are presented to them in a familiar and welcoming way. When he started the project, he saw that it was this element that was missing and that could bring traditions closer to people today. “I want to present an aspect of Greek folk culture in a creative and modern way in order to reach more people and in particular children,” says Petros.
In our interview, we also asked the author to tell us about some of the photos that are particularly dear to him. “This photo (below—the Ed.) was taken in Naousa during a traditional festive the last days before Lent. It was my first attempt to photoshoot PlaymoGreek figures with locals wearing their authentic costumes. This is, also, one of my favorite photoshoot concepts. It’s such a wonderful feeling to see your creation being embraced by the locals,” he said.
“I took this photo (above—the Ed.) driven by the 25th of March 1821, the Day of Greek Independence. I chose to make the PlaymoGreek pure white to depict the pure sentiment, the pure soul, and the pure motivation. Three features of the greek struggle for Liberty. A struggle that was not only supported by those on the front line, but also by all the unsung heroes who fought for the nation,” he elaborated.
“I chose the following picture for sentimental reasons. This costume is from Imathia, a region in Greece. It was the first costume that amazed me from the very beginning of the project. The reason was the very interesting headband, which reminds me of a helmet. There is a whole story behind and is rooted in the ancient years. It is also the most difficult costume I’ve ever made. I spent more than five days trying to figure out how to make the headgear,” continued Petros.
Petros recommends this site to those who are receptive to culture and the past, regardless of age, ancestry, or lifestyle. He believes that through this project we can discover our cultural differences and similarities, because after all, “what unites us is much stronger than what divides us.”
In two weeks, we’ll be back with the background story of another Instagram page!
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