Finding the Universal in the Everyday: Sam Youkilis
In a digital landscape often characterized by noise, outrage, and the relentless pursuit of virality, the work of Sam Youkilis arrives not as a shout, but as a gentle, resonant whisper. For over 840,000 followers on Instagram, his account is a digital sanctuary, a meticulously curated, profoundly human archive that reminds us of the beauty inherent in slow living, cultural traditions, and the simple rituals of daily life.
Youkilis, an American photographer and filmmaker born in New York City in 1993, has pioneered a unique form of visual storytelling. Using his iPhone and the platform’s "Stories" feature as his primary canvas, he creates what Aperture Magazine describes as “a generous indexing of everyday life.” His work is a study in quiet observation, blurring the lines between travel photography, voyeurism, and anthropology. In an era of global turmoil, where the weight of the news cycle can feel unbearable, Youkilis offers a different kind of stream: one of olive oil harvesting in Umbria, smiling llamas in Peru, and the languid stretch of a stray cat in a Greek sunbeam. It is a poignant reminder of the world’s enduring softness.
From Downtown NYC to the World
Youkilis’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in the sensory world. Growing up in Lower Manhattan, the son of a restaurateur, he was immersed in the vibrant, chaotic ecosystem of food and hospitality from a young age. This early exposure instilled in him a deep appreciation for ingredients, their origins, and the communal power of a shared meal—themes that would later become the heartbeat of his work.
His first foray into image-making began with a gift: a 35mm SLR camera. As a teenager, he carried it everywhere, capturing the raw energy of downtown NYC, from subway graffiti to moments with friends. This foundational practice in seeing the world through a frame was later refined under the tutelage of the legendary photographer Stephen Shore at Bard College.
Like many artists graduating into the modern economy, Youkilis faced the challenge of turning his passion into a profession. He worked as a bartender, a server, and a wine seller, all while offering to shoot for restaurants for free. This grind, however, was the crucible for his future success. It was during this time that he discovered the potential of Instagram Stories. Unlike the pressure of a perfectly curated grid, Stories offered a space for free-form, diary-like observations. This feature became his laboratory.
Pioneering a New Visual Language
Sam Youkilis didn't just adopt a new feature; he developed a new visual language uniquely suited to it. His short, vertical videos are masterclasses in micro-storytelling. They are fleeting yet profound glimpses into a place and time, often without narration, allowing the sounds of sizzling oil, chopping herbs, or rolling waves to form the soundtrack. His work asks essential questions about our relationship with imagery in the 21st century: How do smartphones and social networks change our interaction with photography? How do we use images to form our identities and share our experiences? Youkilis answers by demonstrating that the tool matters less than the eye behind it. The iPhone, a device often blamed for shortening attention spans, becomes in his hands an instrument of deep focus and appreciation.
A Love Letter to Italy and a Disappearing World
While his travels have taken him from Mexico to Peru and Japan, Italy holds a central, almost spiritual role in Youkilis’s photography. Drawn by the films of Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini, he seeks out the generation of Italians who embody a way of life he fears is disappearing. His work there is not that of a tourist, but of an appreciative archivist. It is a genuine, heartfelt expression of obsession with Italian food, traditions, and people. He captures nonne rolling pasta by hand, butchers expertly preparing cuts of meat, and farmers harvesting olives with a reverence passed down through centuries.
"Under the Sun": A Solo Exhibition and a Universal Archive
His first solo exhibition in Italy, “Under the Sun,” is on view at the PhEST festival in Monopoli, Puglia, until November 16, 2025. Curated by Sophia Greiff and produced by C/O Berlin, the exhibition presents a visual catalogue of contemporary everyday life.
The title “Under the Sun” perfectly encapsulates the project’s ethos. It speaks to the universal, timeless nature of his subjects. In a world where social media is often a stage for self-affirmation Youkilis’s practice is a refreshing anomaly. He uses the platform’s familiar clichés not for shallow engagement, but to take the seductive power of imagery one step further, offering a poetic view of the things that connect us all, a gentle reminder to look up from the chaos and appreciate the slow, beautiful life unfolding right before our eyes. For those of us who scroll daily through a world often filled with horror, his account is more than just a feed; it’s a respite. It’s a conscious choice to also bear witness to beauty, tradition, and humanity’s enduring grace. It is a necessary balance, and Sam Youkilis is one of its most vital curators.
All photography by Sam Youkilis.
[Screenshots of his instagram feed].
