The Icon of The Last Judgement

The icon of the Last Judgement is one of the most complex Christian images.  As depicting the final things, it is a synthesis of the cosmic mystery. As an image of judgement, it is also the place where everything is resolved by Christ.  From the very first moments in my burgeoning interest in iconology, I…

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Church Architecture Doesn’t have to have the Same Objectives as Secular Architecture; An Interview with the Director of the Moscow Architectural Institute, Dimitry Shvidkovsky

Editor’s note: This article is reposted from orthochristian.com.  It describes the current process by which church architects are trained in Russia, and the prevailing attitudes towards style, tradition, and innovation, in this field. A fascinating read for anyone interested in the contemporary rebirth of Russian church architecture. – A. Gould Since 2016, the leading Russian…

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Heaven and Earth: The Psalm 103 Project Comes to Life

It has been over five years since The Saint John of Damascus Society commissioned The Psalm 103 Project, a big idea that brought together the work of six great composers, Matthew Arndt, John Michael Boyer, Alexander Khalil, Kurt Sander, Richard Toensing (+2014), and Tikey Zes, to create a unique, collaborative choral work that would be a model of…

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An American Shrine to Honor the Russian Royal Martyrs

It has been my particular honor to create a magnificent shrine and reliquary for the Russian Royal Martyrs. The shrine was commissioned by an American convert to Orthodoxy as a gift to the Hermitage of the Holy Cross, a Russian Orthodox monastery in West Virginia, USA. It was installed in time to commemorate the centenary…

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Sacred Choral Treasures of the Russian Emigration Premiered at the Moscow Conservatory Marking the Centenary of the Revolution: 1917–2017

In late 2016, as the tragic centenary of the Russian revolutions was approaching, conversations began among musicians in Russia and the U. S. regarding an appropriately solemn and musically significant way to pay homage to the memory of those who had been affected by these events—in particular, composers, choirmasters, and church singers—both those who suffered…

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Towards a Great Pictorial Synthesis: Interview with Ioan Popa

The following is an interview with Romanian master iconographer Ioan Popa. He’s one of the leading representatives of the contemporary icon revival in Romania, focusing in both panel and monumental fresco painting. Our conversation touches on his artistic development, aspects of the professional training of iconographers in Romania and the challenge of creative engagement with…

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Bold New Colors for Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco

Editor’s note: During 2015 and 2016, Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco embarked on a restoration and beautification project. Andrew Gould was hired to develop a new color scheme for the exterior, which had always been painted plain white. Situated in downtown San Francisco, the cathedral is probably the most highly visible Orthodox Church in…

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Sacred Art in Secular Terms

Last year I was invited to speak at the Northwest Catholic Family Education Conference.  The event was going to be quite open to the public and was dealing with the notion of Truth, the truth seen in different walks of life.  I was asked to speak about the truth in art and discuss my own…

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