NBA 75th Anniversary Creator Series

Last summer I had the great honor to represent my country Greece in #nbacreatorseries.

I have obviously chosen @giannis_an34 as my main subject. You can read bellow why.

Ήθος ανθρώπω δαίμων.

— Ηράκλειτος

A man’s character is his fate— Heraclitus

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a true hero for me, a natural source of inspiration. He was born and raised in the same neighborhood as me. I know how difficult that area is, especially for a family of Nigerian immigrants. He went through some tough challenges, and he faced and surpassed them one by one in a great class. He is still an incredibly humble person showing a solid character. It’s not just basketball. Anything Giannis is doing - even the tiny details - shows an incredibly educated and wise person.He is indeed honoring the Heraclitus quote in a very positive way.Trying to express all these, I created a mosaic portrait of Giannis made out of classic Greek keys and patterns. At the same time, I wanted the artwork to reflect two identities. One solid Greek and one African and cosmopolitan. That’s why I have colored the patterns following the traditional Aso Oke fabrics tints typical of Nigeria.Then I created a structure that mimics a typical African stained glass window honoring the African churches and their central role in social movements in Africa but most of all in America. In times like these, the world needs people like Giannis. A positive role model, an educator who teaches with simplicity and humor, a champion made through hard work and dedication, and finally, a healer. Someone to have as an icon that made us feel better.

Charis Tsevis

Paphos, Summer 2022