This photograph belongs to the series, "Absolute Powers / ex nihilo." These photographs dive deeper into the taboo and controversial topic of money by showcasing an array of intriguing real-world historic and contemporary objects (some worthless, others immensely valuable), while examining how societies perceive, express, and destroy value. Discovered in the late 19th century by a German archeologist in a grave shaft at the ancient Greek site of Mycenae, this repoussé (hammered raised relief) gold funerary mask is believed to have adorned the face of legendary King Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks during the Trojan War. Forged from a single thick sheet of pure gold and hammered thin over a wooden mold, it is estimated to have been created in 1550-1500 B.C. Historically, gold represented wealth and bestowed significance upon individuals as they cross into the after-world. Christos is a 1st-gen Greek-American fine-artist whose photographs probe themes of socioeconomics, culture, history, and architecture. As strong symbolic sparks in a frenetic 21st-century tangle, his creative intrigue is informed by identity, connection, nostalgia, and isolation.