Lumiere Contemporary Art Gallery is delighted to present the photographic work of Stelios Paphitis AFIAP, a celebrated photographer with over 40 years of experience in the field of visual arts. Stelios is not only an accomplished artist but also an instructor, organizer, and a driving force in the development of the photographic community in Cyprus.
Born on January 25, 1960, in Astromeritis, Stelios is the co- founder and current president of the Lakatamia Photographic Club. His dedication to the medium is evident through his two decades of service to the TEY-ATHK Photographic Club, including eight years as its president, and his tenure as vice president of the Cyprus Photographic Society. Stelios is an active member of prestigious international organizations, including the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), Global Photographers International, and Image Sans Frontière.
In addition to his leadership roles, Stelios has contributed to numerous photography competitions as a judge on local, national, and international levels. His work has also been published in two notable books by the Municipality of Lakatamia in 2001 and 2011, where he oversaw both the photography and the editing process.
As an experienced photography instructor, Stelios shares his passion and expertise with others through workshops, lectures, and courses tailored for both beginners and advanced photographers. His ability to inspire and teach has made him a respected figure in the photographic community, regularly invited to speak and present his work and views at organized events.
The exhibition, « A Trilogy: Creation, the In-Between, and the End, » explores profound themes of existence through a series of striking visual narratives. Stelios invites viewers on a journey that transcends the tangible, delving into the mysteries of creation, transformation, and dissolution.
In the first phase, Stelios captures the raw energy of creation, a swirling cosmos before it takes shape as material form. This energy, guided by universal principles, seeks to separate itself into an individual identity—the “I”—which can both observe and be observed. Only through this act of perception does existence become tangible.
The intermediary stage is fleeting yet unparalleled. Here, light, an abstract and essential element of creation, dances on the edges of perception, playing with the limits of human senses. This phase represents a timeless moment, an eternal bridge between the beginning and the end, tethered to the primal energy from which it was born.
Finally, the journey concludes with the inevitable return to the whole—the immortal and indivisible. Stelios uses his lens to illustrate the concept of transformation and decay as an integral part of the cosmic cycle. The photographs evoke a sense of inevitable closure, where individual existence merges back into the collective unity of being.
Stelios Paphitis’ work is both philosophical and visually captivating, pushing the boundaries of how we perceive light, energy, and existence. Lumiere Contemporary Art Gallery is proud to showcase this evocative body of work, inviting audiences to reflect on the eternal cycle of creation, life, and rebirth.
