Students' interviews - Isidora Kountouri "Trauma" Interview with Ypatia Kornarou - Moments Collective

8 hours ago
2 min read

Author Ypatia Kornarou

1. What are you seeking to communicate through your photographic work “Trauma”?

Through this series of photographs, I seek to approach, through visual language, the psychological landscape of a traumatic experience. Psychological trauma is an invisible wound, not always consciously recognized, yet it profoundly shapes how we perceive both the world and ourselves.

I would describe it as a labyrinth of emotions and memories. The path toward healing is often painful and long, yet it is necessary in order to return to our reality with greater strength and resilience.

@Isidora Kountouri

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2. Why did you choose your mother as your photographic subject?

For this project, I chose my elderly mother as my subject. I realized that it was essential, during the photographic process, to form a deeply emotional and personal connection with someone I love.

The completion of this work would not have been possible without her unconditional support. Her trust in me throughout this creative journey became the foundation upon which the project was built.

@Isidora Kountouri

3. How did your relationship with photography begin, and what draws you to the silence of the image?

Photography entered my life as a gift. When I was still in primary school, my father gave me a compact camera, which I used during school trips.

Years later, I felt a strong need for expression and communication. I came to understand that the camera was not simply a tool for documentation. Through the lens, I discovered a way to express emotions and thoughts that words often fail to convey. I wanted to translate lived experience into image.

What fascinates me and connects me to the silence of the image is the power of stillness. For me, this silence is the space where my intention meets the viewer’s interpretation. It becomes a quiet dialogue that allows emotion to unfold freely.

@Isidora Kountouri

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4. What does an artist discover about human truth through photography?

Through photography, the artist comes to understand that human truth is not singular or fixed. Beneath what is visible lies a deeper, unseen layer of emotions, trauma, and expectation.

Ultimately, what we capture is not reality as it objectively exists, but rather how it is felt and experienced.

@Isidora Kountouri

5. Has your engagement with art influenced the way you perceive the world? In what way?

Photography has taught me to focus on the essence of things. It has led me to understand that there is no single, absolute reality, but rather multiple perspectives. A subject can transform entirely depending on how it is illuminated and approached.

@Isidora Kountouri

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6. Why are you drawn to color photography?

I am drawn to color photography because color does not function merely as an aesthetic element. It reveals emotional intensity and brings it to the surface. At the same time, it allows me to approach reality from a renewed perspective without losing its essence.

Color ultimately becomes a form of silent confession, expressing what cannot be articulated through words.