About
John Vlahakis was born in Chicago, USA to Greek immigrant parents. He studied political science, communications, and received a BS and an MBA from Northwestern University. John spent the next several decades leveraging his business knowhow, passion for preserving the planet, and his creative eye, as a pioneer of the green movement by creating an environmental home cleaning product line and building it into a multimillion-dollar consumer brand. Throughout his business career, John periodically took time off to travel and pursue his other passion for photography. When the green movement went global, he decided it was time to leave the consumer industry and fulfill his longtime dream of becoming a full-time photographer. In 2010 he became a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and since then his photography has found placement in museums, private collections, and in the public art installation of Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, USA. In 2020 he began working on several long-term projects including, “Enduring City” , which was published in July 2023 in the USA, and in Greece on March 2024. His second book, "Japan", was published in September 2024. He continues working on a long term porject on “The Jersey Shore.” When he is not traveling, John and his camera can be found at the Jersey Shore, Athens or Chicago.
Ο Γιάννης Βλαχάκης γεννήθηκε στο Σικάγο των ΗΠΑ από Έλληνες μετανάστες γονείς. Σπούδασε πολιτικές επιστήμες, επικοινωνίες και έλαβε πτυχίο και MBA από το Πανεπιστήμιο Northwestern. Ο Γιάννης πέρασε τις επόμενες δεκαετίες αξιοποιώντας την επιχειρηματική του τεχνογνωσία, το πάθος του για τη διατήρηση του πλανήτη και το δημιουργικό του μάτι, ως πρωτοπόρος του πράσινου κινήματος, δημιουργώντας μια σειρά προϊόντων περιβαλλοντικού καθαρισμού σπιτιού και δημιουργώντας την καταναλωτική επωνυμία πολλών εκατομμυρίων δολαρίων. Καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια της επαγγελματικής του σταδιοδρομίας, ο John έπαιρνε περιοδικά άδεια για να ταξιδέψει και να ακολουθήσει το άλλο πάθος του για τη φωτογραφία. Όταν το πράσινο κίνημα έγινε παγκόσμιο, αποφάσισε ότι ήταν καιρός να εγκαταλείψει την καταναλωτική βιομηχανία και να εκπληρώσει το μακροχρόνιο όνειρό του να γίνει φωτογράφος πλήρους απασχόλησης. Το 2010 έγινε μέλος της American Society of Media Photographers και έκτοτε η φωτογραφία του έχει τοποθετηθεί σε μουσεία,ιδιωτικές συλλογές και στη δημόσια καλλιτεχνική εγκατάσταση του Terminal A στο Newark Liberty International Airport στο New Jersey των ΗΠΑ. Το 2020 άρχισε να εργάζεται σε πολλά μακροπρόθεσμα έργα, όπως το "Enduring City" και ένα στο "The Jersey Shore". Όταν δεν ταξιδεύει, ο Γιάννης και η κάμερά του βρίσκονται στην Αθήνα, στο Σικάγο ή στο Jersey Shore.
Exhibitions
Iceland Inspired Raritan Valley Community College Somerville, NJ February 20- March 13, 2015
ZIA Gallery Solo Exhibition Winnetka, IL May 2017
Aqua Miami Group Exhibition Miami, FL December 5-9, 2018
Aqua Miami Group Exhibition Miami, FL December 6-10, 2019
ZIA Gallery Solo Exhibition Winnetka, IL January, 2020
Blank Wall Gallery Group Exhibition Athens, Greece March 7-20th, 2022
Chania International Photo Festival Chania, Greece July 6-13th, 2022
Open Artist Studio Tour Long Beach Island, NJ August 13 and 14th, 2022
M.T. Burton Gallery Surf City, NJ November 25th-December 24th, 2022
Black and White Athens Photography Festival Athens, Greece February 18-21st, 2023
Chania International Photo Festival Chania, Greece August 3rd- 9th, 2023
Open Artist Studio Tour Long Beach Island, NJ August 12th and 13th, 2023
Blank Wall Gallery Group Exhibition “Night Photography” Athens, Greece October 20th - November 1st, 2023
Markeim Arts Center Haddonfield, NJ February 4th - 28th, 2024 Solo Exhibition Down The Shore
2nd Annual Black and White Photography Festival Athens, Greece February 24th 2024
Red Exhibition Athens, Greece June 14th-25th, 2024
Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences Loveladies, NJ Group Exhibition. July 12-13, 2024
Chania International Photo Festival Chania, Greece July 22nd through July 26th, 2024
Open Artist Studio Tour Long Beach Island, NJ August 10-11, 2024
Pleiades Gallery Color My World Group Show New York City November 26th, 2024 - December 19, 2024
Batsford London, UK Group Exhibition January 3-30, 2025
Solo Exhibition "Enduring City" at the Blank Wall Gallery Athens, Greece February 7-13, 2025
3rd Annual Black and White Photography Festival Athens, Greece February 26, 2025
Publications
My Street 2019 USA ISBN: 978-0-46-456063-0
Enduring City 2023 USA ISBN: 979-8-218-17785-0
Enduring City 2024 Greece ISBN: 978-960-9403-76-4
Japan 2024 USA ISBN: 979-8-218-47365-5
Memberships
American Society of Media Photographers
National Writers Union
International Federation of Journalists