The Book of Genesis describes the biblical Garden of Eden (Paradise) which was created by God for the first man and woman – Adam and Eve. It is believed that God formed human beings to live in a Paradise and told them to multiply and coexist with animals, plants and everything else that He had made. It was the time of innocence; the first humans lived with God in harmony with nature. The rivers and lakes were crystal clear and no thievery or sin was known.
In the garden, God placed the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the eating of whose fruits was prohibited. Tricked by the serpent, Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree and were banished from Paradise in consequence. The expulsion was a fact. The Paradise was lost. The soul was trapped in a mortal body. The act of the fruit’s consumption was deemed the original sin committed by Adam and Eve, and subsequently became known as the Fall of Man. The Fall corrupted both human nature and the entire natural world. In that moment, humankind became mortal, the state of innocence passed away and the present world full of suffering and injustice was instituted. It is important to recall that, from this moment onwards, people were also forced to embark on a search for redemption, seeking ways to restore the state of innocence and attain eternal life once more.
As my art focuses chiefly on the human condition, I attempted to find the best metaphor for the current phase of my artistic process and remembered the ‘mythical catastrophe’ known as ‘The Fall’. As a result, I decided to use it as a conceptual spectrum and metaphor for my own subjective reflections which are taken from the contemporary world, and named the series of photographs ‘Paradise Lost’. I believe that this title perfectly combines the ‘fallen past’ with the 21st century.
My series of photographs links the idea of the degradation of the first humans with the degeneration of humanity through the centuries up to the present day. The title is symbolic, and describes the state of being away from the holy space inhabited by God, the lack of justice, the weakness of will, tendency to moral evil, jealousy, hypocrisy, greediness and wars. The question I ask in ‘Paradise Lost’ is: what is our relationship with other human beings and the planet? How do we treat the planet in which we live? Why, through the centuries, has humanity failed to find a cure for the general madness which reigns, all those burning landscapes and wars which are still present in the human world?
What is the meaning of ‘Art’ in ‘Lost Paradise’? My intention was to conduct an investigation into the depths of human existence, creating images which move the audience and inspire serious reflection. In my opinion, art should lead us towards the truth and give testimony about this planet. To me, art doesn’t have to be ‘pretty’ or ‘nice’, but must transmit significant meaning and chart historical changes. In my narrative, the journey begins in biblical times, addressing Ancient Greek and Indo-European cultural myths before finally encountering contemporary dystopian societies which are unable to cope adequately with technology, as technological progress is far more rapid than humanity’s spiritual evolution. I think that we initially need to understand the influence of the past before being able to reveal and describe the present world we live in. Although my artworks belong to our daily life, I intentionally refer to the past and anticipate the future.
If, as it is said, it is true that humanity is, in essence, a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors, why do we fight and fail to respect one another? Why has man proved to be so destructive and devastated the planet so intensely, simultaneously eradicating most animal species known in Paradise – elephants, rhinoceroses, wolves, seals and fish?
One interpretation has it that, after the Fall of Man, Paradise was finally destroyed by the great flood. I believe we still have time and can change the shape of the present world in order to avoid another catastrophe of this magnitude. 
