Iconography
The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon: Part II
This is post 2 of 3 in the series “The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon” Fr. Silouan Justiniano examines the controversial question of style in icons and whether or not composition and stylistic tropes are meaningful in the theology, making and use of the icon. The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon : Abstraction vs. Naturalism…
Continue reading »The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon : Abstraction vs. Naturalism Reconsidered
This is post 1 of 3 in the series “The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon” Fr. Silouan Justiniano examines the controversial question of style in icons and whether or not composition and stylistic tropes are meaningful in the theology, making and use of the icon. The Pictorial Metaphysics of the Icon : Abstraction vs. Naturalism…
Continue reading »Review of “Icon As Communion” by George Kordis
As an Orthodox convert in search of traditional Christian images, as someone who fled the contemporary art world to find a home in liturgical art, George Kordis‘ iconography challenges me in so many ways. Kordis’ virtuosity is undeniable and his mannerism both of form and color refer all at once to Byzantine art and to Modern and…
Continue reading »Icon Carving of Christ Pulling St-Peter from the Water.
Since I began icon carving full time 4 years ago now, I had a secret list of the things I wanted to make, certain objects and images that were dear to me. To my own joy and surprise, I have been progressively checking off items from that list with ongoing commissions, making even those objects and…
Continue reading »An Interview with Iconographer Julia Bridget Hayes
Julia Bridget Hayes is a talented iconographer working in Greece. Her work is a truly wonderful example of creativity within tradition. We asked to interview her and to share these images of her work that she might become better known to our readers. A. Gould: Julia, you were born in South Africa, but now…
Continue reading »Deisis – An Iconographic Installation
The truth is that when I was offered the possibility to set up a small exhibition on the occasion of the 34th Symposium of Art and Theology, organised by the School of Theology, University of Navarra, I did not have sufficient material, as I was moving and dismantling my workshop. On the other hand, as…
Continue reading »Two images of the Church and why they should not be confused.
Christological and Pneumatological Images of the Church In early Christian art, there developed a series of complementary visual relationships which I have discussed on numerous occasions and have come to often characterize as the right hand and the left hand of Christ. These elements, like the ass and the ox, St-Peter and St-Paul, the good…
Continue reading »A New Icon Composition: Christ and the Rich Young Ruler
This spring, I received an email from an American client which left me both intrigued and slightly anxious. Would I like to paint a new icon depicting Christ’s interaction with the Rich Young Ruler described in each of the Synoptic Gospels? Yes, of course! Most icons are commissioned, discussed and then go onto my waiting…
Continue reading »Hope and Fragility: An Interview With Neo Coptic Iconographer Stéphane René
The Coptic tradition of iconography is one of which we know very little about in the West. So many of the ancient monuments were destroyed or came to disrepair as Copts in Egypt were subject to Islamic rule in the 7th century. It is only recently that the old monuments are being rediscovered, cleaned and restored properly.…
Continue reading »Modernity and Tradition in the Religious Art of Spyros Papaloukas
Spyros Papaloukas (1892-1957) was a major Greek painter of the first half of the twentieth century. Almost a legend for some, he was an innovator of Greek landscape painting. Although not mainly a church iconographer, he holds a very particular position alongside Photis Kontoglou in contemporary liturgical arts. He was born in 1892, started…
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