Before a painting becomes part of the Mantora world, it simply begins as a painting.

In Maria Syrigou’s studio in Syros, colour is everywhere. Artworks at different stages share the space with brushes, tubes of acrylics, sketches and works waiting to be finished — or sometimes reconsidered entirely.

There is no fixed formula behind them. Some paintings begin with a clear idea, while others develop gradually through layers, contrasts and instinct. Bold blues, deep greens, warm ochres, pinks and unexpected combinations often meet on the same canvas, creating compositions that feel vivid, expressive and full of movement.

What we find especially interesting is that the parts we later notice through Mantora are not always the most obvious ones. A small corner of a canvas, an unexpected meeting of two colours, a brushstroke or a detail that played a quiet role in the original painting can suddenly catch our attention in a completely different way.