Strawberry Blue by Marinos Tsagkarakis

"Strawberry Blue" found its roots in the aftermath of my migration to a country of the European North. This series explores and questions the inherent need for identity redefinition, belonging, and self-construction.

A meditative work photographed in an alluring local park in the Netherlands; Strawberry Blue began in the aftermath of the artist’s migration north from Greece, where soon after arrival he was badly injured in a road accident. An arduous recovery process — along with upheaval in adapting to an unfamiliar environment — triggered an inner quest for belonging and identity redefinition. Over years, he routinely wandered through the park terrain, observing its nuances and dreamlike setting while interacting with strangers and all living things. In portraits he glimpses reflections of himself, where echoes of his own struggles are in dialogue with the tangled, evolving landscape. Strawberry Blue feels out of kilter at times, like laughing while crying. It’s about resilience, persistence and growing new roots… We are invited on this journey with minds open to the unknown, allowing the path ahead to lead us where it will.