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Stefanos Kouratzis (b. 1975, Athens, Greece) is an award-winning visual storyteller / photographer and writer based in Cyprus and serves as the Artistic Director of LPF - Limassol Photography Festival for 2024.

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​​He studied at Focus, School of Art Photography, Video and New Technologies (Athens, Greece) and has continued his professional development with online courses at the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York) and Magnum Photos.

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​In 2018, he participated at the 16th Venice Biennale of Architecture, part of the Cyprus Pavilion (I Am Where You Are) with three photographic projects. 

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Three years later, in 2021, Stefanos was invited by the curatorial team to contribute a series of photographs to the first retrospective exhibition "Past-forward: Stavros Economou Unarchived" at "SPEL", the State Gallery of Contemporary Art, Nicosia. The photos were also projected when the exhibition was moved to Le Corbusier’s Unité d’habitation in Marseille, France.

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In 2022 he curated both exhibitions of the award-winning photographer Sebastian Rich, "Fleeing to Safety" at Kasteliotissa Hall in Nicosia (June) and at the University of Cyprus (October) for UNHCR Cyprus country office and Universitas Foundation.

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In 2023, as the Artistic Director of LPF - Limassol Photography Festival Kouratzis, co-curated festival's main exhibition, 'Place or Landscape'. The following year, in 2024, he continued in this role and co-curated all seven exhibitions of the festival, titled 'Athlos,' with the aim of elevating the festival's cultural significance and fostering a deeper appreciation for the art of Photography.

 

The Press and Information Office of Cyprus commissioned the projects "SHE Cyprus in the Feminine" and "Kticic," which were presented at various locations, including the Nicosia International Festival in 2022 and 2023. The exhibitions were also showcased at institutions such as the National Austrian Library in Vienna and Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.

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​Selected awards include Gomma Photography Grand 2021 (Finalist), PDN (Photo Annual), IPA (International Photography Awards), PX3 (Prix de la Photographie, Paris) and Fujifilm EuroPress Awards (Cyprus).

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Over the years Stefanos has collaborated with local and international media organizations including AFP, Reuters, Associated Press, Xinhua, France24, Arte (France) and BBC Radio. He has covered major stories in hostile zones,  including Lebanon War 2006, Gaza Strip, Iran, Bam City earthquake. During the operation “Iraqi Freedom" he was embedded on a USS aircraft carrier.

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Kouratzis' photographs have been collected by private collectors in Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Brazil, Belgium, and the USA, as well as featured in publications such as books and catalogs, including those by the Press and Information Office for the Republic of Cyprus.

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His articles (Photography and Journalism) have been published in Cyprus, Greece, USA, England and Poland.

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He is a full member of the Union of Cyprus Journalists, the IFJ (International Federation of Journalists) and a member of the Performance Evaluation Committee of the THYMELI Scheme (EAP) of Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus. 

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Constantly exploring Photography as medium, Stefanos' work is diverse, multidimensional and multi-layered. He constantly balances between long-term projects and exploring different realms of expression.

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​"Photography unlocks the chains of reality"