Students' interviews - Katerina Papadimitriou “The Mirror of the Soul” Interview with Ypatia Kornarou - Moments Collective

22 hours ago
3 min read

Author Ypatia Kornarou

1. What does the photographic project “The Mirror of the Soul” reveal?

A glance into a mirror does not only reveal our reflection. More importantly, it reflects inner states such as our emotions, personal thoughts, dreams, anxieties, and even the resistance we feel toward the expectations imposed on us.

When the idea for this photographic project first emerged, I was faced both with a creative challenge and with my own need for inner exploration. It was important for me to explore how everyday life can be captured from a different perspective, and how it is reflected through mirroring. Each photograph is a reflection of a moment we may not consciously notice, yet we experience. It is an invitation to see the world and ourselves through a natural phenomenon, through light.

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@Katerina Papadimitriou

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2. What did you want this collection of photographs to capture?

My collection captures the reflection of human existence through moments that every person experiences. It is a blend of what we think, enjoy, and find relaxing, as well as what we fear and struggle with. It explores our relationship with daily life, work, and personal introspection. It is nature, the small god, and the child that lives within us.

@Katerina Papadimitriou

3. Through your photographic journey, can you identify which “photograph” moves or excites you the most?

The photograph that moves me is the one that carries a truth within it. The one that captures lived experience and naturally preserves it, so it is not lost in the unnoticed passage of time and observation.

What excites me most is a photograph that speaks for itself, without needing explanation, allowing space for the viewer to interpret it through a personal connection tied to their own story.

@Katerina Papadimitriou

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4. What does it mean to you to hold a camera in a world flooded with images?

For me, my camera is a way of understanding the world, of truly observing and capturing what might go unnoticed by someone else. I do not photograph simply to produce images, but to understand what I see and what I feel. I think of it as a collection of time.

@Katerina Papadimitriou

5. I know that recently you have been working with self-portraits. Do you discover or recognize yourself when you see your photos? Is it a kind of dive into your inner depths?

For me, self-portraiture is a process of self-awareness and introspection into my inner world. At the same time, it is something new, as this is my first time working with self-portraits, prompted by my new project “Menopause.”

This process has a dual role. On one hand, it brings you closer to your inner world, and on the other, it turns outward, because you expose yourself in a vulnerable and tender way to the camera. Essentially, you are reintroducing yourself to yourself.

Yes, it is a dive into my depths, and certainly a journey inward, with hesitation but above all with honesty.

@Katerina Papadimitriou

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6. Do you believe it is important to share your photographs? If so, why?

Yes, I believe it is important in terms of communication rather than promotion. What matters most to me is whether it touches someone, not whether it is liked by the audience.

Within the condition of interaction, I believe that this is how a photographic work gains a second life beyond the moment of its creation and the personal experience of the creator. Once a photograph is shared, it no longer belongs to just one person. It encounters the perspectives, experiences, and truths of many.

I enjoy sharing my photographs. It gives me the opportunity to offer something personal and to see how it is reflected in others.