Leonard J. Janiszewski

Biography

Historian Leonard Janiszewski and documentary photographer Effy Alexakis have been researching the historical and contemporary Greek-Australian presence, both within Australia and overseas, since 1982. Their ongoing project and archive - In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians - is recognised as one of the largest collections of Greek-Australian material in the country. The archive encompasses a wealth of visual images, recorded interviews, paper-based textual documents and memorabilia. It is currently housed at Macquarie University, Sydney, in partnership with the Australian History Museum and Discipline of Modern History. Over 180 academic and popular journal articles, book chapters, conference papers and catalogues have been produced, as well as two major books and three film documentaries. Both national and international touring exhibitions have been created. Of their exhibitions, the most pronounced have been 'In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians' and 'Selling and American Dream: Australia's Greek Café'. The former toured throughout Australia and travelled to both Athens and Thessalonki. The latter opened at the National Museum of Australia in 2008, and is still touring nationally.

Research Interest

Janiszewski and Alexakis have received numerous grants. The most significant have been from the Australia Council, Visions of Australia, Film Australia, the Greek government, and various Australian state funding bodies. Alexakis' photographs are held in both public and private collections in Australia - most significantly in the Australian National Gallery, Canberra, and the New South Wales State Library, Sydney. Janiszewski has held both a NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission Fellowship and a NSW History Fellowship. Both Janiszewski and Alexakis have served on various history and/or arts advisory boards.