About the Artist

A Brief History

Yianni Maggacis is a Toowoomba based emerging artist currently completing his PhD in visual arts. Maggacis predominantly creates hyper-realistic figurative oil paintings, some of which has been selected as finalists for several art awards, including the Lethbridge 20 000 award, Mullins conceptual photography award, Naked and Nude art prize, and Clayton utz art award. Conceptually, Maggacis focuses on creating paintings that first appear familiar and ordinary, even banal, but then suddenly seem strange after the viewer discovers a detail that is not ‘quite right,’ leaving his work ambiguous in meaning which thus allows the viewer to have an active and reflexive engagement with his work.

Education:

2023 current Doctor of Philosophy, University of Southern Queensland
2021 Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) with First Class Honours (GPA 7.0), University of Southern Queensland
2020 Bachelor of Visual Arts (Visual Arts), University of Southern Queensland

Solo Exhibitions:

2023 The Good Room, University of Southern Queensland B Block Art Gallery, Toowoomba, Queensland

Group Exhibitions:

2024 Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award, Lethbridge Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2023 Clayton Utz Art Award, Clayton Utz, Brisbane, QLD
2023 Naked and Nude Art Prize, Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW
2023 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize, Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, Muswellbrook, NSW
2023 Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award, Lethbridge Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2023 Fill Your Eyes, Postcard Exhibition and Exchange, A Block, University of Southern Queensland
2022 A Walk Amongst the Trees, B Block Gallery, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland
2021 Fragile States, Lasso Artist Run Initiative, Toowoomba, Queensland Graduart
2021 RME Downlands Art Exhibition, Toowoomba, Queensland
2019 Art Haus V Exhibition, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba
2018 RME Downlands Art Exhibition, Toowoomba, Queensland
2017 CUA Bank Exhibition, Toowoomba, Queensland

Art Awards:

2024 Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award
2023 Clayton Utz Art Award Finalist
2023 Naked and Nude Art Prize Finalist
2023 Mullins Conceptual Photography Award Finalist
2023 Highly Commended, Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award