Plenty of mud, a handful of beetles, one physical education graduate and the first prize of the MATAROA contest, how can all this be connected?

By the inspiration of Ioannis Gagrinas, who won first place of the MATAROA prize awarded by the Cultural Society of Northern Greece Entrepreneurs (PEEBE), and the 4th Art Thessaloniki – International Contemporary Art Fair. The emerging artist’s inspiration stems from the village Doubia in Chalkidiki.

“It was an immense experience for me, being in touch with nature, the trees and the animals, the walks in the village with my grandmother and my parents. That’s what I brought into my art, my life there.”

The 27-year-old artist had an artistic inclination from a young age and it was no surprise that when he was in college studying Physical Education and Sport Science he concurrently attended art lessons at the workshop of Savvas Poursanides. He is presently a fifth-year student at the School of Visual and applied Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the guidance of professors Stylianos Koupegkos, Vali Nomidou and Sotiris Panousakis.

Following the MATAROA First Prize, all roads are open.
“This was a great opportunity for me to have even more faith in myself, because there’s always that element of doubt. This gives me a chance to become even more grounded. The 4th Art Thessaloniki was very important for being in contact with the public. Everything we do is related to how it’s perceived by the others, what it says to them, and the response was very warm.”