This November, the Benaki Museum presents PEOPLE POWER PLATON, the first exhibition in Greece of Platon, the defining portrait photographer of our time. The exhibition is co-organized by the Benaki Museum and STUDIO PLATON, is curated by the photographer himself, and will run from November 5, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
The exhibition PEOPLE POWER PLATON consists of two thematic sections. The first features the movers and shakers of our current history including celebrities, world leaders, human rights activists, cultural icons, provocateurs, antiheroes, outlaws, artists, tech titans, fashion designers, etc. For four decades, Platon’s images have appeared in leading international media outlets such as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Vogue and Vanity Fair. His revealing portraits have graced more than 30 TIME magazine covers. Known for his unique ability to connect with his subjects, Platon has now photographed more world leaders than anyone else in history, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Muammar Gaddafi, Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi, and Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The second section of the exhibition presents compositions that emerged from Platon’s numerous visits to Paros over the last 40 years. Through this body of work, Platon pays tribute to his place of origin and to Greek culture.In conjunction with the exhibition, a new, extensive book by Platon—edited and designed by him—is being released in English by Matsumoto Editions under the title PLATON PAROS.
“Here we are together—in a technological trance. Here we are together – distracted by mass myths. Here we are together – divided by tribalism. Are we to go down as the generation of connectivity that disconnected itself? Are we to become intolerant idealists? Are we to trade in our emotional intelligence for something artificial? Or are we to rise up, rekindle the spirit of optimism and earn the respect of history?” – Platon
©Photography by Platon
About the artist
Platon was born in London, 1968, and raised on the Greek island of Paros and today is one of the world’s most renowned portrait photographers, having photographed more world leaders than anyone else in history, including six US Presidents. He has photographed over 30 covers for TIME magazine, including their 2008 Vladimir Putin ‘Person of The Year’ cover, which was awarded 1stprize at the World Press Photo Contest, and most recently, their 2024 Donald Trump ‘Person of The Year’ cover. In 2008, Platon signed on as staff photographer to The New Yorker, winning a Peabody Award and two National Magazine Awards for his photo essays.
In 2013, Platon founded The People’s Portfolio, a non-profit foundation dedicated to celebrating emerging leaders of human rights and civil rights around the world. The People’s Portfolio creates a visual language that breaks barriers, uplifts dignity, fights discrimination, and enlists the public to support human rights around the world.
Platon is a master communicator and storyteller. He has been invited to be a keynote speaker on leadership at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Chanel, Nike, Yale University, Oxford University, Wharton University, the National Portrait Gallery in London and the International Center of Photography in New York. He has also appeared on a range of television media including Charlie Rose (PBS), Morning Joe (MSNBC), Fareed Zakaria’s GPS (CNN) and the BBCWorld News. Platon headlined at TED Vancouver in 2022, promoting curiosity over judgment.
Platon has published six books of his work: Platon’s Republic (Phaidon Press, 2004), a retrospective of his early work; Power (Chronicle, 2011), 100 portraits of the world’s mostpowerful leaders; China: Through the Looking Glass (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015), in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Service (Prestel, 2016), dedicated to the men and women in the United States Military, their physical and psychological wounds, their extraordinary valor, and the fierce emotions that surround those who serve; The Defenders (Matsumoto, 2024) was made in collaboration with The People’s Portfolio and celebrates human rights activists from around the world. Platon’s most recent publication, called Platon Paros, was released in 2026, published by Matsumoto. The book includes 40 years of photographs on theGreek island of Paros and is a tribute to Greek heritage and culture.
Platon’s life’s work is the subject of a Netflix documentary, Abstract: The Art of Design. His firstfilm, My Body Is Not A Weapon, features survivors of wartime sexual violence and 2018 NobelPeace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege. Platon’s second film, Portrait of a Stranger, was madein partnership with the United Nations, honoring the voices of refugees from around the world.Platon’s archive of prominent African American civil rights leaders and cultural leaders wasacquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 2020.
PEOPLE POWER PLATON
Duration: 05 November 2026 – 31 January 2027
Benaki Museum / Pireos 138
