"Belgrade is Awakening—Pobednik (The Victor) Monument in Belgrade”, acrylic on canvas, Bishop Maxim, 2023

With simple means, it gives the sense of “here I am, in the middle, the hero, and beyond the others.” The hero is another light source parallel to the sun or moon. Here my loneliness (perhaps very fruitful), in the middle, is the ONTOLOGY of the hero who has no complex but the greatness of his TRUTH, which was tested and remained historical, self-evident. And beyond the crowd that is made up of lonely people, each of whom might emerge as a hero. There are two kinds of existential relationships in this painting: 1. The crowd and me. What role am I playing? Will I become a great hero one day or sink into obscurity? 2. The hero and me. I admire him. I honor him and his ethos. But will I succeed in becoming a person, someone who has something special? Will the gifts I admire in the hero lead me to become an archetypal persona, or will I simply remain in admiration? — Stamatis Skliris