Town Houses of Andros

This book was created out of a great desire I had to display the full beauty of the town houses of Andros and in particular their interiors. These long standing houses tell tales from and about my island. They still stand proudly and are constant reminders of an era long gone. Photographs of the striking facades and marble staircases lead you to terraces and sheltered verandas; Entering the houses one is left stunned by the fine, impressive living rooms with their painted ceilings, the colourful floor tiles and painted walls in various decorating techniques; Rooms are adorned with old furniture, lamps, mirrors and porcelain, which bring back a nostalgia for the splendours of the past. These very personal spaces are full of memories. These memories are re-lived and retold by the people living in these houses today. All this is what I wished to record. This book is a collection of photographs, but also of testimonies by homeowners who, in turn, offer their own family stories as well as new narratives about life in Andros. We hear about the seafarers, for instance, who would bring back furniture and artefacts from their travels abroad to adorn their home, and about the times when the island was bustling with life and commerce. We learn about the wives who stayed back home and became worthy matriarchs; about the families who filled these houses keeping alive traditions through rituals: During festive periods, periods of joy but also of sadness and mourning. It is my love for all this ritual and tradition, and my love for Andros itself that made me want to create this book. It is also a souvenir for those who lived in, or simply knew these houses well. And lastly, it is a reference book for this generation and the generations that will follow.