As an icon student, this is one of the most touching explanations of iconography I’ve ever heard in the last 3 years. Thank you. This really encourages me to keep following the gift God wants me to use.
It's very interesting for me as a painter I suppose of "contemporary art". I can relate to what he's saying despite not painting religious paintings. It's strange, but true that you couldn't paint something like this, enter it into the Turner Art Prize and it ever even making the shortlist. I think so called conceptual art, installation art are the dominant forms and somebody expressing a religious sincerity for their art would be politely refused. So certain, the museum directors and others are that their version of art is currently where it is at. They have in mind the model of science, of continual development (even if science itself is stuck but just accepts ideas like quantum mechanics). I think there's quite strong links here with all religious art, also Buddhist art. The incredible concentration needed to make the Tibetan sand mandalas. Made of rubbing metal funnels of tiny coloured grains of sand. It's about impermanence though so destroyed after. Interesting Aidan's idea of beauty, humanity being a part of Christian theology unlike say Islam that doesn't allow images of anything just patterns. However strangely it doesn't allow for monasticism as it considers God wanted man to have the pleasures of marriage and so on. But can you really paint, explore deep spirituality outside that tradition? Tricky things to consider. The spirit of creativity Aidan connects to God's power. I think Picasso sensed it almost through the Chinese Tao. In the sense that the power of creativity was a force working through the creator or some energy. Hence... he often spoke, as in Taosim (he wasn't aware of it, as far as I know) of becoming a child when you create or going back to childhood. Not sure if Christians have that idea too. Perhaps they do!
As an icon student, this is one of the most touching explanations of iconography I’ve ever heard in the last 3 years. Thank you. This really encourages me to keep following the gift God wants me to use.
Thank you
A treasure of wisdom.
It's very interesting for me as a painter I suppose of "contemporary art". I can relate to what he's saying despite not painting religious paintings. It's strange, but true that you couldn't paint something like this, enter it into the Turner Art Prize and it ever even making the shortlist. I think so called conceptual art, installation art are the dominant forms and somebody expressing a religious sincerity for their art would be politely refused. So certain, the museum directors and others are that their version of art is currently where it is at. They have in mind the model of science, of continual development (even if science itself is stuck but just accepts ideas like quantum mechanics). I think there's quite strong links here with all religious art, also Buddhist art. The incredible concentration needed to make the Tibetan sand mandalas. Made of rubbing metal funnels of tiny coloured grains of sand. It's about impermanence though so destroyed after. Interesting Aidan's idea of beauty, humanity being a part of Christian theology unlike say Islam that doesn't allow images of anything just patterns. However strangely it doesn't allow for monasticism as it considers God wanted man to have the pleasures of marriage and so on. But can you really paint, explore deep spirituality outside that tradition? Tricky things to consider. The spirit of creativity Aidan connects to God's power. I think Picasso sensed it almost through the Chinese Tao. In the sense that the power of creativity was a force working through the creator or some energy. Hence... he often spoke, as in Taosim (he wasn't aware of it, as far as I know) of becoming a child when you create or going back to childhood. Not sure if Christians have that idea too. Perhaps they do!
I want to become an iconography student and I live in the USA, where can I study?
The options are limited unfortunately. Living in a non Orthodox country can stifle us. Save us, Lord
I recommend going to the most popular university for that, over in Athens. I'm sure they have options for English.
Prospon School of Iconology