Stavros Kotsiréas was born in Athens, Greece in 1960. His family emigrated to Brisbane, Australia in 1963 where he spent his early childhood. In 1980 Kotsiréas began a two-year apprenticeship with the Oscar winning set designer and painter, Vassilis Fotopoulos. In 1984 Kotsiréas began studying at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, The Netherlands, specializing in painting, drawing, and graphic art. After graduating in 1989, Kotsiréas pursued a masters degree in set and costume design. He then moved to England, presenting his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions in London and around the world.
His 33 solo exhibitions include exhibitions in Berlin, Athens and The Hague. The artist has also participated in 65 group exhibitions, including the Florence Biennale, art expos in Dubai and New York and at many other international art venues.
“When I take an inanimate object out of the natural world and place it in a still life arrangement, I am purposefully isolating it, stripping it down to its basic material attributes; its form, colour and mass. This enables me to explore the essence and mystery of the object. Giving expression to lifeless matter on canvas is for me a poetic act” Stavros Kotsiréas