199 Unknown is a multimedia video exploring the ways in which migration is erased and made invisible. It was shot on the Greek island of Lesvos in November 2024 and its title refers to the 199 graves in the refugee cemetery in Kato Tritos, most of which are just marked as “UNKNOWN.”
The cemetery, which is hidden among olive groves 15 km from Mytilene, was an unmarked field dotted with stones and sticks until 2024. After being restored thanks to the efforts of a local NGO, it now serves as a stark reminder of the unacknowledged loss of life along these migratory routes. Set to the rhythm of the Synaxis Day march, 199 Unknown intertwines images of this cemetery with remnants of migrants’ journeys found on the shores of Lesvos and scenes from the island’s contested spaces.
In 199 Unknown, fragmented narratives are woven together into an evocative flow, shaped by the steady rhythm of the Synaxis Day parade . The event begins with children marching in uniforms, their innocent steps marking the rhythm of the piece. As the video unfolds, the march evolves into a display of military power, symbolizing a progression from naivety to the rigid structures of authority.
These scenes are combined with three distinct layers of imagery. The first one focuses on the refugee cemetery in Kato Tritos. During my initial visit, I stood among its 199 graves. Most of them bore the word “UNKNOWN,” although some had fragments of information, such as names, ages, and brief traces of lives which were cut short. Standing in this forgotten Spoon River, I read their names and ages: 30 years old, 3 years old, 3 months old. What was their story? I decided to photograph each grave, not as an act of art or activism, but as an act of pure remembrance. Until recently, these graves were only marked with sticks and stones. Thanks to the efforts of a local NGO, basic markers now preserve fragments of people’s identities. However, the site remains unmarked and difficult to find, a stark reminder of the invisibility of these lives.
The second layer captures traces which were left behind on the north-eastern shores of Lesvos, which are just 4.4 km away from the Turkish coast. Near Korakas Hut, abandoned rafts, life vests, and soaked clothes which were swapped for dry ones speak of perilous journeys and fleeting survival. These remnants are scatter around the rocky beaches and olive groves, silent witnesses to the desperation and resilience of those seeking refuge.
The third layer examines spaces of migration as they exist today. Kara Tepe, the official camp, remains closed to photographers and journalists, as do many NGOs operating spaces on the island. While these restrictions aim to protect vulnerable individuals, they also isolate them further, limiting documentation and public awareness of their condition. The proposed Vastria center, which was expected to further restrict migrant mobility, reflects a growing trend toward containment rather than compassion. And finally, the remnants of the Moria Camp—opened in 2014, once sheltering up to 20,000 people before being destroyed by fire in 2020—stand as a stark reminder of the profound human cost of indifference.
https://www.theearthmedicine.com/memorial-to-humanity
https://aegeanboatreport.com/
https://legalcentrelesvos.org/2024/10/30/joint-letter-no-to-vastria-closed-controlled-access-centre-an-open-letter-to-the-greek-government-and-eu-commissioners/
https://rsaegean.org/en/lesvos-2024/
https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/projects/border-graves/
1 Unknown
2 Unknown
3 Unknown
4 Unknown
5 Unknown
6 Unknown
7 Unknown
8 Unknown
9 Sayeed Arash Hashemi – Sayeed Waheed Hashemi (father’s name), 24/09/2019
10 Zargari Afsaneh 23/05/2020
11 Unknown
12 Unknown
13 Hawagol Qoraishi, 01/01/1952 –
07/04/2020
14 Nasir Jafari
15 Qasem Sidou, 5 years old
16 Unknown
17 Amamullah Moradi
18 Unknown
19 Unknown
20 Unknown
21 Unknown
22 Unknown
23 Unknown
24 Unknown
25 Aramga Berarbakht Batori, 01/01/1978 – 15/08/2021
26 Unknown
27 Ashim
28 Unknown
29 Unknown
30 + 31 Unknown
32 Roya Quasemi, 15/04/2008 – 10/03/2019
33 Unknown
34 Unknown
35 Ziagol Moradi Valad Faiz Ahmad, 11/10/1353 – 13/08/1400 (01/01/1975 – 28/10/2021)
36 Unknown
37 Unknown
38 Nekbakht Nazari – My kind mother, your soul is happy
39 Jafar Sharifi
40 Unknown Man, 24 years old, Protocol No. 212, 22/11/2015 to 05/11/2015 (sic)
41 Unknown
42 Unknown
43 Unknown
44 Unknown
45 Unknown
46 Unknown
47 Hetam Yaqobi
48 Abdullah Yaqobi
49 Abdullah Wahab Qaderi
50 Unknown
51 Unknown
52 Unknown
53 In Loving Memory of Mohammad Ali Akbari, 10/07/1963 – 13/05/2020. Forever loved, never forgotten, rest in peace
54 Unknown
55 Unknown
56 Unknown
57 Unknown
58-59 Unknown
60 Unknown
61 Unknown
62 Unknown
63 Unknown
64 Unknown
65 Unknown
66 Unknown
67 Unknown
68 Unknown
69 Unknown
70 Unknown
71 Nasra Muhammad Omar, 1998 – 2022 (25 years old)
72 Unknown
73 Abdallah Khalaf, Protocol No. 178, buried on 13/09/2016, 77 years old
74 Unknown
75 Abdi Zana, Protocol No. 144, No. 1, 3 years old
76 Abdi Ghalia, Protocol No. 142, No. 3, buried on 18/07/2016, 31 years old;
Abdi Walai, Protocol No. 145, No. 4, buried on 18/07/2016, 1 year old
77 Taous Moustafa, Protocol No. 77, buried on 23/03/2026, 36 years old
78 Said Mohamad, Protocol No. 76, buried on 23/03/2016, 39 years old
79 Chlach Nasser, Protocol No. 70, buried on 04/03/2016
80 Hassani Masooma, 12 Years Old, buried on 06/03/2016
81 Unknown
82 Taleb Boythina, Protocol No. 24, buried on 24/01/2016, 44 years old
83 Salem Hani, Burial Date: 23/01/2016, 52 years old
84 Faizollahi Amanullah, Protocol No. 181, No. 43, buried on 20/11/2015, 52 years old
85 Faizollah Arida, Protocol No. 195, No. 40, buried on 20/11/2015, 9 years old
86 Sarvari Hamid, Protocol No. 199, No. 02, buried on 20/11/2015, 30 years old
87 Unknown woman, 30 years old, Protocol No. 3, buried on 11/01/2016 to 08/01/2016 (sic)
88 Alo Bamadan, Protocol No. 23, buried on 23/11/2016, 3 years old
89 Unknown body, 3 years old, Protocol No. 25, buried on 08/01/2016 to 24/01/2016
90 Unknown body, 12 years old, Protocol No. 62, buried on 10/02/2016 to 30/01/2016
91 Unknown man, 30 years old, Protocol No. 64, buried on 13/02/2016 to 11/02/2016
92 Unknown
93 Malcamina – Protocol No. 208 – No. 05 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 5 years old
94 Mangal Masi Hullah – Protocol No. 217 – No. 04 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 5 years old
95 Mohammad Alaaref – Protocol No. 196 – No. 33 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 40 years old
96 Jamshedi Ajmal – Protocol No. 204 – No. 01 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 23 years old
97 Unknown man – 35 years old – No. 221 – buried on 18/11/2015
98 Al Heraiz Ahmed – Protocol No. 201 – No. 21 – buried on 18/11/2015 – 46 years old
99 Al Heraiz Mahjd – Protocol No. 172 – No. 14 – buried on 18/11/2015 – 5 years old
100 Ahmad Shahd – Protocol No. 197 – No. 39 – buried on 18/11/2015 – 9 years old
101-102 Adam Alzaher Aliazar – 14/11/2015 – 2 years old
Fatima Al Mzael – 14/11/2015 – 32 years old
103 Alzaher Aljazzar Obai – Protocol No. 174 – No. 24 – buried on 14/11/2015 – 7 years old
104 Alzaheb Aluazzar Mohamad – Protocol No. 190 – No. 82 – buried on 14/11/2015 – 42 years old
105 Unknown
106 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 7 – Protocol No. 215 – buried on 20/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
107 Jalali Mustafa – Protocol No. 207 – No. 3 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 1 year old
108 Atref Fatima – Protocol No. 194 – No. 11 – buried on 20/11/2015 – 1 Year Old
109 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 4 – buried on 19/11/2015
110 Unknown boy – 7 years old – No. 40 – buried on 19/11/2015
111 Unknown boy – 12 years old – No. 171 – buried on 19/11/2015
112 Parar Gulam Nabi – Protocol No. 168 – No. 16 – buried on 19/11/2015 – 50 years old
113 Unknown
114+115 No Inscription / Alaa Jajo – 14/11/2015 – 6 years old
116 Jalal Molla – 14/11/2015 – 4 years old
117 Unknown
118 Abubakir Ahmad – Protocol No. 160 – No. 1 – buried on 22/11/2015 – 1 year old
119 Unknown infant – 3 months old – No. 36 – Protocol No. 219 – 22/11/2015 to 31/10/2020
Unknown Infant – 3 Months Old – No. 31 – Protocol No. 193 – 22/11/2015 to 31/10/2020
120 Unknown child – 1 year old – No. 8 – Protocol No. 218 – 22/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
Unknown boy – 3 years old – No. 15 – Protocol No. 176 – 22/11/2015 to 29/10/2015
121 Unknown man – 20 years old – No. 29 – Protocol No. 182 – 22/11/2015 to 31/10/2015
122 Hajelzadeh Sadiq – Protocol No. 189 – No. 35 – buried on 21/11/2015 – 24 years old
123 Hajelzadeh Hamid – Protocol No. 163 – No. 5 – buried on 21/11/2015 – 53 years old
124 Unknown man – 50 years old – No. 9 – Protocol No. 214 – 20/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
125 Yassin Suleiman – 1/8/2010 – 14/10/2015
126 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 216 – 19/11/2015
127 Unknown
128 Unknown girl – 6 years old – No. 25 – Protocol No. 202 – 23/11/2015 to 30/10/2015
129 Unknown woman – 20 years old – No. 1 – Protocol No. 210 – 23/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
130 Unknown woman – 25 years old – No. 33 – Protocol No. 175 – 23/11/2015 to 30/10/2015
131 Unknown
132 Unknown
133 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 22 Protocol 186 – 22/11/2015 to 30/10/2015
134 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 34 Protocol 191 – 22/11/2015 to 31/10/2015
135 Unknown
136 Unknown man – 20 years old – No. 6 Protocol 212 – 25/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
137 Abushahla Mohammed – Protocol 184 No. 41 – buried on 24/11/2015 – 37 years old
138 Unknown man – 30 years old – No. 4 Protocol 205 – 13/11/2015 to 5/11/2015
139 Unknown man – 60 years old – No. 3 Protocol 157 – 23/11/2015 to 28/10/2015
140 Unknown
141 Unknown
142 Unknown
143 Unknown boy – 12 years old – No. 37 Protocol 188 – 26/11/2015 to 1/11/2015
144 Qari Ibrahim – Protocol 179 No. 44 – buried on 26/11/2015 – 12 years old
145 Unknown
146 Unknown
147 Unknown
148 Nilufar Omarkhil
149 Chikhani Mohamad – Protocol 244 – buried on 04/01/2016 – 4 months old
150 Malfa Mai – Protocol 237 – buried on 19/12/2015 – 3 years old
151 Unknown man – 30 years old – Protocol 225 – 26/11/2015 to 23/11/2015
152 Unknown man – 27 years old – Protocol 226 – 26/11/2015 to 23/11/2015
153 Abdalle Maxec Marsame
154 Ibrahim Burco
155 Unknown
156 Unknown
157 Unknown
158 Unknown
159 Zaynab Mansrai
160 Unknown
161 Unknown
162 Unknown
163 Unknown
164 Badrya Yusuf – 07/01/2005 to 06/10/2022
165 Unknown
166 Unknown
167 Sucod A. Jamal
168 Maryam Acilahi
169 Yasmin Alodi
170 Abdirisaq Mohamed Artan – 21/01/2022
171 Artan Abdimsaq
172 Sridca Abdi Mahmoud
173 Unknown
174 Unknown
175 Unknown
176 Unknown
177 Unknown
178 Unknown
179 Unknown – added tombstone :
Sara Sharif Abdullahi – 19/01/2014 to 28/08/2023
180 Unknown -added tombstone:
Nashad Abdirashid Yusuf – 01/03/2023 – 28/08/2023
Abdirahman Abdirashid Yusuf – 01/01/2016 – 28/08/2023
Badra Abdirashid Yusuf – 27/11/2018 – 28/08/2023
181 Unknown
182 Unknown
183 Unknown
184 Unknown
185 Unknown
186 Unknown
187 Mohammad al Shat
188 Abdullahi Ahmed
189 Farah Amal
190 Houssaini Razia
191 Bel Jena
192 Unknown
193 Amina Abdillahi
194 Moir Marjan
195 Unknown
196 Unknown
197 Unknown
198 Moushne Alsaleh
199 Unknown
Artist website: www.ezph.net
