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Reflections of the Soul: Ode to Tarkovsky’s Mirror, acrylic on canvas, 2023
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We can say that this girl from the “Ode to Tarkovsky’s Mirror” is one of those works by painter Bishop Maxim in which the calm power of painting truth graces and high- lights pieces of the soul of many people who identify with this mental state. Deep inner spiritual proficiency is expressed densely and without any chatter. Despite her great- ness, a simple psyche recalls in the face of this girl memories of ancient Virgin Marys, where the innocent daughter emerges as “the shield and bulwark” of all humanity. In- deed, Tarkovsky brings out a subtle but true theology in his cinematographic shots and his stylistic modernity. In any case, the eyes play an important role here as well. They do not look at us but sink into a fathomless in- ner depth. Just as the Virgin Mary in the Byz- antine trope exclaims in awe: “What about me, this mysterious event?” We must con- clude the analysis of the work with the ob- servation that the garment, no matter how little it appears, succeeds with its peculiar network of touches to highlight an exciting transparency of complementary colors—Or- ange, blue, and olive play on the dark secret color that runs underground in this extraor- dinary painting. — Stamatis Skliris