Artist statement

ELEPHANT is a deeply personal exploration of the “empty nest” syndrome, inspired by my son's departure for his studies. Merging past and present through archival and new photographic material, the project combines abstract elements with strongly personal visual symbols, unfolding a visual narrative around absence, grief, transformation, and redemption.

The project originates from a defining moment in my life:

"The time had come for K to leave home for studies.

On the first night, we accompanied him to the port, and in silence, we drove back home. We entered and stood still at the entrance. After a while, our daughter spoke first. She simulated the void of his absence with a highly paradoxical sense of vital space deficiency. I turned and looked at my wife. The image that emerged in her gaze was that of a huge gray elephant that filled our living room tightly.

The days that followed demanded, with urgency, a sign to be given to the new circumstances. In the heavy shadow of the elephant, I experienced sorrow and sought refuge in my photographic archive. There, I recognized the idols of K swirling through time, inextricably linked to our shared experiences. Detached from their temporal context and exposed to the light of this new reality, they shaped old ideas patiently waiting for their turn to appear in the world of icons. As the creative process unfolded, I found a quiet redemption. I have gradually redefined my role as a father, finding closure in both the process and its outcome".