"Εxcessive People", acrylic on canvas, Stamatis Skliris, February 2019
Starting with the news about the refugees whom we consider to be "excesses", unnecessarily (since there is no place for them,) Fr. Stamatis began a dark canvas painting honoring the migrants and as repentance for neglect of their breaking stories. This image of "excessive people" will become even darker over the years to come. On the boat full of migrants in the middle of the sea, Christ is depicted with them because He participates in their martyrdom through his martyric death of the Cross... Those who drown are painted with bright faces floating in the sea and calmly expressing themselves as those who have overcome fear and terror.