Employing the Symbolic Material and Methods of Eastern Orthodox Icon Painting

Science Center A155

The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between critical methodology and contemporary Western Art-making practices, using Eastern Orthodox icon painting as a tool. Eastern Orthodox icon painting is a style of panel painting of religious figures (ie saints, Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels etc.) used as a tool for prayer. Both Western Art and Eastern icons grew out of the same origin in the Roman Empire, and there has been a long tradition of the exchange of ideas between the two. Yet these two styles diverged with the icon’s adherence to tradition due to the strict theology embedded in every step of the artistic practice, while Western art promotes self-expression and the constant pushing of artistic boundaries. The incorporation of Eastern contemplative practices into a western image, with the symbolic materials and transformative application method, counteracts the cult of personality and emphasis on novelty that dominates the western art world.