Dimitra Lazaridou studied at Hochschule der Künste Berlin. She held solo exhibitions in Greece, Italy, and the US, and participated in group shows at the Museum of Photography in Thessaloniki, Théâtre de la Photographie et de l'Image in Nice, Maison Européene de la Photographie in Paris, Fondazione Mudima in Milan, among other venues. Collectors of her work include the National Museum of Modern Art in Athens, Martin Z. Margolies in Miami, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, and the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. She lives and works in Athens.
Dior decided to dedicate his collection Dior Cruise 2022 to Greece. The firm's founder, Christian Dior, had done a similar show in Athens 70 years ago, and 2021 was the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. However, the themes Dior selected did not focus on the revolutionary background, but on Greece's mythological wealth.
Nobody introduced me to Dior; they had just visited my website. I got an email inviting me to the Dior project. Night landscapes had been selected for the shootings, and I was asked whether I would like to compose a female figure in this atmosphere.
I was assigned to shoot four photos for Dior Magazine No 36, titled "Dior Odysseys".
While I was working on this project, I realized how magnificent it was. Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's creative director, a woman with vision, had travelled through Greece to meet textile-makers, designers, and wholesalers to find partners for this collection.
When you work on your own ideas, your work comes from who you are. You do not care about fashion or design that have their own goals and target groups. Art addresses everyone. Visual artists working without boundaries and making their own rules can contribute a lot to the applied arts.
"Dior Odysseys" series. Photo: Dimitra Lazaridou.
A "scene" often results from other factors such as trends and less from the artwork's merit. The artwork will live its life in endless time and does not need a "scene" whose life is limited.
When I was starting out, I used to have my idols; I left them behind to do it my way. I can accept an artwork, I can love it or feel jealous about it.
My teacher at the University of the Arts in Berlin, Professor Bernhard Boës, taught me the concept of feeling jealous of an artwork. "I want you to make me feel jealous," he used to say, "to drive me towards your work, to make me wonder: How did she do it? How did she achieve this? This work is unique!"
I feel jealous of many different artworks. For example, I am jealous of Daniel Peebles's work for his daring compositions.
I love Athens and the light of Attica. A temple, a historical or beautiful setting touches my emotions. However, as a photographer I am moved by it only if it serves my narrative.
Homepage: www.dimitralazaridou.com
Instagram: @dimitralaza
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