One Day : Ellie Tsatsou - Photographer and Lecturer
Location : London, UK
Profession / passion : Photographer & Lecturer
Website : www.ellietsatsou.com
Instagram : @ellie_tsatsou
One Day is an ongoing project sparked by the Covid-19. In the days of isolation we would like to focus on what we do best; bringing people together. Read more about the project here.
We will be posting one new day of someones life every day until we run out of contributors. See our instagram stories to experience these peoples One Day in action.
A text, song or film that everyone should experience.
Four Quartets, by T.S.Eliot
What is the story behind your profession/ passion?
It’s a story of love and devotion. I chose photography because I felt the most comfortable within its realm, and also the most curious about it. I started when I was in Greece, as a teenager, but it wasn’t until I moved to London, at around 22 years of age, that it all became real. It has since evolved to include a passion for teaching and lecturing, but at the core of what I do, my medium of choice is light, and our capacity to trace it and record it. I actually talk about this unfolding process in detail in my online lecture, titled ‘A Decade of Practice’, here.
You often work with cyanotypes, which is a photographic printing process where you can only produce blue tones. What made you move on to this process and how is it different from the more traditional way of photography?
After years of working with digital and film photography, I felt curious to play with light in a more literal way. Cyanotypes gave me the opportunity to get hands on with my materials while in the process of making pictures, and quite precisely pushed me to engage with air, water, delicate papers, and the sun. This was something I hadn’t tried before. They served as a new way of approaching my methods and I really enjoyed the freshness that came from discovering a new ‘space’ to improvise - within what initially was a complete unknown. As a process, it is 100% rooted in photography, literally meaning ‘writing with light’. As such, it illuminated different painterly aspects of my practice, and also cultivated a new understanding of hue, shade, texture, opacity and colour. Finally, what I also really enjoy is the uniqueness of each piece produced; there is a composition captured, once only, then gone.
How do you want people to react to your work / passion?
When it comes to my photography, I hope they gather a sense of found calm and worldly beauty. When it comes to my teaching work, I I hope they feel engaged, and also encouraged to contemplate good questions. Also, to look at creativity as part of the bigger scope of life and to embrace it personally with all they’ve got.
How has the current situation affected how you work? It’s a mixed situation right now. My photography work is quiet but in a way that also coincided with my conscious choice to slow down a bit with shoots this spring due to my pregnancy; I am currently in my third trimester. My teaching work at the University of the Arts London is about to resume after the Spring Break, but now everything will be happening online, so there are a lot of briefings, meetings and new trainings happening to facilitate this transition effectively for all of us, staff and students, in such a short time. I am curious to see how art education will transfer its essence exclusive on the digital realms.Parallel to this, it’s since earlier this year that I have begun running online lectures independently as well, through my Crowdcast channel (https://www.crowdcast.io/ ellietsatsou), and these are currently progressing very smoothly. Unexpectedly enough, the timing is appropriate for more online deliveries of this kind, so I am grateful I can keep on doing this type of work for my audience and myself. I am also in the process of finalizing a couple of digital courses on Creativity, all content of which will be hosted online. I remain hopeful that this part of my practice will continue smoothly.
Define what beauty means to you.
I see beauty as presence in the world, and as fine-tuning to the intimacy of being.
Who do you miss?
These days, I would say quite some of my people who live abroad or back in my homeland, Greece, right now, but mostly my mum. I am currently 7 months pregnant, and due to the lockdown both here in England and there, it’s uncertain when it will be safe for us to reunite again. There is a particular tenderness in this bond between mother and child that I would have loved to physically share with her more now.
What traits do you treasure in other people?
The ability to live in a storm of wonder, curiosity and awe for the world, as well as integrity of thoughts, words and actions.
What was the most defining moment in your life?
I would have usually answered a question like this with something relating to my work and my progress creatively, but it’s been some time that I feel very strongly that meeting my partner has been the most defining moment of my life. We’ve created a home and a family of our own, and this has had a profound impact on my life as a whole and my sense of being. Our relationship has added poetry across the daily, and has thus transformed it in innumerous ways, forever.
When was the last time you learned something new and what was it?
Yesterday I read this piece by Rebecca Solnit on the Guardian, and it made much sense to me. The way she talks about the pandemic and contextualizes hope amongst the current landscape of change felt very informative and enriching.
Have you actively chosen to live in the city/town you live in?
Yes. Initially, London was the place where I was drawn towards because some of the people I most admired were based here. Then, as soon as I got to move over from Greece, it became the place where I felt ease and confidence to grow as an artist myself as well as connect with a like-minded network. Now, ten years later, it is still very much a constant inspiration, positioned in the now, with engaged people at the forefront of innovation, creative thinking, drive, enthusiasm. It’s a very important part of my story.
What is the most inspiring text you read recently?
I am currently re-reading the book ‘Women who run with the Wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and I find it fascinating in its entirety. A very powerful read, for all.
What does freedom mean to you?
As the greek etymology suggests, the ability to move towards the thing(s) that you love.
Lastly, how do wish to see this current situation have a positive impact on our lives?
Mostly by understanding and deeply feeling the interconnectedness between us all, humans and humans, human and animals, humans and nature — our interbeing. It can be a turning point, a new way of co-creating.