Yannis Tsarouchis (1910-1989)

Giannis Tsarouchis was born in 1910, in Piraeus. During 1929-1933 he studies painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts, under S. Vikatos, D. Biskinis and Κ. Parthenis, who teaches him European art, cubism and surrealism. During 1931-1934, he studies under Fotis Kondoglou, who brings him in contact with the methods and techniques of iconography, as well as the Greek Byzantine monuments. In 1935 – 1936, he continues his studies in Paris, where he gets acquainted with great masters of the modern European art, like Giacometti and Matisse (whose sensual chromatic harmonies, he admires) and comes in contact with Theophilos’ work, through Teriade. In 1952, the British Council of Athens organizes an exhibition in his honor and in 1956, he presents his works at the National Museum of Modern Art, in Paris and at the New York Guggenheim Museum, as a nominee for the Guggenheim prize. In 1958, he participates in the Venice Βiennale. In 1981, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art organizes his first great retrospective exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. In 1982, the Yannis Tsarouchis Museum in Maroussi is founded at the artist’s house, as well as the Tsarouchis Foundation, devoted in promoting the artist’s work. Alongside his paintings, he created settings and costumes for theater and music productions of the Karolos Koun Theater of Art, the National Theater and La Scala di Milano, while publishing many articles and treatises, written in his characteristic sincere, but always sharp manner.