WHO?
My name is Spiros Loukopoulos and I think of myself as a self taught – amateur photographer, born in Patras – Greece, the year 1985. I moved to Copenhagen, Denmark about 8 years ago. I have a degree as a Civil Engineer and I worked in that field for some years before I realized that it wasn’t for me. Now I’m working in the foods and drinks Industry, operating street food markets and often designing bars and cultural spaces.
I have studied painting and freehand drawing from a very young age starting with hagiography at the age of 9, and I have experimented with many different forms and mediums of expression through the years. Graffiti ended up being a big part of my life, I have painted on all kinds of surfaces for several years before deciding (for now) that photography is the medium that speaks my language best. That was about 8 years ago with most probably a long way more to go.
WHAT?
Often, I find myself capturing humorous elements, I prefer clever touches, and I’m fascinated by the macabre and the unknown side of life, I feel that I’m quite romantic in my approach that reflects the old school approach of capturing and seeing life’s essence in its most simplistic form of, is as I usually call it the everyday-ness. I try to see, understand and capture the everyday things or snippets that are happening all the time around us without realizing them and in some way we just pass by and miss them, these moments are what they give meaning to the big picture, what we actually see and live all of us, the life itself.
At the moment I have only 2 main projects, “This is not a series” is a big and ongoing project, I don’t see any ending to it when I’m still alive. And another one called “you will want to stay forever” that just started to becoming a thing for me.
WHERE?
I would love to say everywhere and that’s because I’m someone who can easily feel ‘itchy’, often with lack of patience and feeling easily bored if I’m not able to do different things in my search to express through my work. My approach can be somewhat abrupt as I’m always excited to jump into new situations so that nothing feels like it’s the same. It’s always nice to have new things to sink my teeth into and get to learn more from them, that’s where I find photography to be most interesting.
WHEN?
Anytime, there isn’t a perfect timing for it, whenever I have the need for it, it’s like breathing, it’s necessary for me to happen so I keep on doing it.
WHY?
For example, a beach is a beach, and a party is a party. Within these very simple and everyday events or places, it feels like there are different realms that are within the simple or basic event that is in front of us, but we all miss them, for different reasons each and every one of us. That’s how life is I assume. When I capture an odd moment that is almost eerie or out of place in these basic everyday events or places, it creates a unique and obscure feeling, I realize the possibility of the existence of another world within the world we see and live in, that moment I feel more alive and real.
It all exists from this curiosity to feel everyday life’s rhythm and at the same time be able to understand myself and the surroundings through my work. It allows me to feel completely alive and understand/accept mortality. The wondering of the unknown time, the time after death gives me that sense and drive towards the succession of eternal life and immortality which can only be achieved through art.
The name of my main project indicates to me that there’s no beginning, main body, or end to this, and it will never be. I would never be able to put in a box such many different feelings, happenings, and infinite moments of life, how could anyone do that?? The only thing I can do is try to feel and understand some of them, be present.
