When Greek photographer Maria Mavropoulou created her ‘Inner State’ series, between 2014 and 2016, her aim was to document the feeling of living during the era of the Greek crisis.
“In this stagnant space, in this gap between eras, landscapes look bizarre, cut off the real world, pending for their unknown fate, as a visualisation of the inner state of their inhabitants. The horizon is hidden, preventing us to see what’s yet to come,” reads an excerpt of the text accompanying the series.
Empty highways, abandoned settings, torn flags and lifeless statues are some of the images depicted in the collection of “a kind of neo-ruins” waiting to tell a story of an unclear future that looks out of reach.
From the 'Inner State' series. Photos: Supplied
For the artist, this feeling of disorientation facing the day after, which manifests across the world due to the pandemic, is reminiscent of the Greek – and perhaps any – crisis.
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“Revisiting these photographs nowadays, during the Covid-19 health crisis, I sense those same feelings of
uncertainty and unpredictable change of fundamental aspects of everyday life as we used to know it,” Mavropoulou says and shares her thoughts on what is required to exit this impasse.
“This current global situation may be an important moment to realise that no matter what causes a crisis, or where it takes place, solidarity, collaboration and compassion is our only way out.”
From the 'Inner State' series. Photos: Supplied
A graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts, Maria Mavropoulou studied painting and sculpture, but uses photography as her main medium.
Her work has been presented in numerous exhibitions in Greece and abroad and the most recent award she received was for the VR project ‘Family Portraits” at the 60th Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
For more information on the artist and her work visit https://www.mariamavropoulou.com/
