Public Republic

Teodora Atanasova

Hello, please introduce yourself.

My name is Stella Sidiropoulou. I live and work in Thessaloniki Greece. I am an Instrumentation and Control systems technician in the Petrochemical Industry. I have been involved with photography since 2008.

What do you express with your photos?

The photos I create bring out my emotions and my thoughts as a reaction towards the reality, as I see it. The emotions I experience in my everyday life, the observation of others’ reactions and their way of living in general are my inspirations and motivate me to give my point of view through photography. Let’s say it reflects my aspect of what we call life.

Do you make money from photography? Do you think art can be too commercial if it is paid?

No, I don’t sell my work. It never came to my mind because I earn my living from my work, for now anyway. Maybe I will consider this in the future. Art must be paid because there are many artists that need the money to keep them going. But the amount of money cannot be too excessive because everybody must have the chance to own a work of art if they want. I mean that it shouldn’t be a privilege for only the rich. Art is for everyone. And the purchase of art must be kept away from the stock market. It mustn’t be a way of class differentiation but a way for class cohesion.

What inspires you?

Everything. Even inspiration inspires me!

What do you believe in?

I believe in the power of the mind. The power of knowledge. The power of emotions. And I believe that art consists of all these powers.

Which type of photography do you prefer?

I like many types of photography. From classic to surrealistic. In my work there is no limit I have to observe. I don’t follow restrictions. Through my work I “speak” to other people. So everything can be words and expressions for me. I use everything to say what I want- to express my inner thoughts and feelings. I use my photographs in the same way painters use their canvases and colors. I take the elements I need to compose images that express what I want to say. Sometimes I just create a mood through my processing and it is enough. Sometimes I combine photos in order to create one that best expresses me.

Please, tell us about one day of your life.

I am quite ordinary I’m afraid! I wake up very early to go to work. After that I return home, cook, maybe do some domestic work. And then my favorite part of the day is when I create and process my material. This is what I do with passion, I must say. Sometimes after that I meet friends and have a drink downtown. And so on.

Can you give a piece of advice to other photographers?

The only advice I could give is that they must find their own way. They must look inside themselves to show all of us their essence. Every photo must be a life manifesto. A way to awaken others so they see life as a unique opportunity to make a difference for future generations.
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