The talented Greek painter, Ilias Raftopoulos, passed away at the age of 54 on the island of Crete. Relatives, friends and many admirers of the painter gathered at his funeral yesterday, which took place at his hometown, Kalyves in Crete. At the young age of 23, the talented painter was seriously injured in a car accident that left him quadriplegic and wheelchair-bound. He moved to Sweden, “where everyone respects human life” — as he used to say — where he honed his skills as an artist, creating masterpieces with his impressive technique of painting with his mouth. He became known for his unique talent and was recognized by major galleries around the world. His exhibits extended as far as Japan, USA, Spain, England, Portugal and Australia. In the last years of his life, Raftopoulos lived in his hometown of Kalyves, in Greece, where he passed away.
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