Dimitri Paraskevoulakos
Artist's Statement
I always have liked the night time; from when I was a young kid staying up late feeding stray cats in my neighborhood and catching lightning bugs. Later on in adolescence I used to sneak out at night in Chicago till about 3 or 4 in the morning and then awake to go to school the next day with a lot of screaming and hollering from my mom. I continue to be fascinated by the nightime and hence like kind of dark imagery.
My interest in photography began when I used to look at magazine ads of for cologne and fasion and beauty. When I was 21, I took a Black and White film class and was intrigued that I could also make a photograph. Then one night I took a shot that captured a moment outside of a café. I enjoyed looking at it then and 16 years later. So it was from that time that I wanted to explore cafes more, and have been since January and am happy to show you my studies.
I am mostly influenced by 16th century painter Caravaggio and films that have low light themes to them like “The Warriors” and “Lost Boys”. I think that we are hardwired to be more sensitive to light in the darkness due to the fact of electricity just being invented 100 years or so and it is hardwired into our DNA.
Also studying cafes I begin to see a merging of European influence in the United States. Before 20 years ago all we knew was drip coffee at a local diner or an occasional Dunkin Donuts. Now cafes are all over the place. It could also mean a departure from the more expensive lifestyle we were accustomed to. Restaurants merge into cafes. It could also be another way of socializing.
I'm happy to share my view of cafes and the romantisicm associated with them, I hope you enjoy my images.
