Archival Giclée Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Limited Edition of 5
51 x 42 in
130 x 107 cm
US $ 3,900
This photograph from The Garden of the Hesperides series captures a rugged, natural structure within a cave, evoking a sense of primal mystery and timelessness. The image centers on a gnarled, weathered rock formation, its twisted surface illuminated against the darker recesses of the cave, creating a contrast that heightens the sense of isolation and reverence. This ancient, organic form seems rooted in a mythology of its own, embodying the raw essence of the Greek landscape that inspired the Arcadian ideal.
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This photograph from The Garden of the Hesperides series captures a rugged, natural structure within a cave, evoking a sense of primal mystery and timelessness. The image centers on a gnarled, weathered rock formation, its twisted surface illuminated against the darker recesses of the cave, creating a contrast that heightens the sense of isolation and reverence. This ancient, organic form seems rooted in a mythology of its own, embodying the raw essence of the Greek landscape that inspired the Arcadian ideal.
This belongs to Part I of the series, focusing on the abandoned sheepfold in a cave on a Greek island. The natural structure and surrounding shadows convey the spirit of authentic Arcadian romance—a place where myth and reality intersect, untouched by modernity. The fallen ceiling that allowed the fig tree to grow in the open air symbolizes a connection between earth and sky, between the hidden and the revealed, capturing the Heraclitean sense of transformation and renewal within the natural world.
Stathatos’s choice of black-and-white photography enhances the timeless quality of the scene, lending it a sense of endurance as if the cave has withstood centuries of change. The interplay of light and shadow underscores the tension between enclosure and openness, reflecting Stathatos’s exploration of landscape as a cultural and historical construct. By framing this untouched corner of nature, he invites the viewer to ponder the enduring beauty of ancient landscapes, resonant with myth and history, even as they slip further into the realms of memory and imagination.