Making Culture by Hand: Konstantinos Pilarinos

Making Culture by Hand travels to places, rural, suburban and urban, where tradition and innovation merge in the work of individuals, like Konstantinos Pilarinos, who dedicated their lives to making crafts that are are deeply personal, but are nonetheless committed to the enduring values of their families and community.

"Konstantinos Pilarinos [of Astoria, Queens] is one of the world's great masters of the Byzantine style of woodcarving, a tradition that dates to the fourth century." (Smithsonian Folklife Festival)

Konstantinos Pilarinos received the National Heritage Fellowship, awarded annually by the National Endowment for the Arts to recognize individuals who have mastered different culturally defined art forms. His story is told in first-person narrative, illustrated by intimate photographs that open his studio doors and allow you a glimpse into his world and craft.