ENTRY DESCRIPTION
"Protection" captures the universal human gesture of self-containment—the body folding inward to create shelter from external forces. Knees drawn up, head bowed, arms wrapped around legs, the figure forms a fortress of flesh and bone against an undefined darkness. This pose transcends cultural specificity to become archetypal: the position of grief, meditation, fear, or rest. Yet through formal rigor—dramatic lighting, stark black background, elimination of context—the personal becomes universal, the vulnerable becomes sculptural. The triangular composition transforms defensive posture into geometric strength, suggesting that protection need not mean weakness. The body simultaneously shields and reveals itself, acknowledging vulnerability while asserting the dignity of self-preservation and the quiet power of withdrawal.

AUTHOR
Dimitrios Paterakis (b. 1966, Athens) creates black-and-white minimalist photographs that explore the essential geometries of desert landscapes and the human body. An official Fujifilm X-Photographer since 2016, his work employs chiaroscuro technique to reveal the profound visual relationships between natural and human topographies. Based in Athens, his practice spans desert landscapes from his years in the Middle East, Greek archaeological sites, and studio-based Bodyscapes. His photographs have been exhibited throughout Greece and Europe and are held in international private collections.

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