News
Till Morn Eternal Breaks
On November 9, a new recording by the Chamber Choir of St. Tikhon’s Monastery of original compositions and arrangements, entitled “Till Morn Eternal Breaks: Sacred Choral Music of Benedict Sheehan,” will go on sale from St. Tikhon’s Monastery Press. (To pre-order, visit stspress.com) The project is the first of its kind: a recording of new Orthodox music…
Continue reading »The Psalm 103 Project: A Status Report
It has been a little over two years since my last update on The Psalm 103 Project for Orthodox Arts Journal, so, perhaps now would be a good time to bring everybody up to speed again. The Psalm 103 Project, for those just now joining us, is a major undertaking of The Saint John of Damascus Society. It…
Continue reading »Travelogue: The International Society for Orthodox Church Music 2015
In June of 2014, I was a participant in Kurt Sander’s Pan-Orthodox Liturgical Music Symposium at Northern Kentucky University. While I was there, a gentleman whose acquaintance I had newly made, one David Lucs, on hand to give a presentation on children’s music education, was rather excitedly asking virtually everybody during a coffee break, “Are…
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 »Review of The Art of Seeing: Paradox and Perception in Orthodox Iconography by Fr. Maximos Constas
Fr. Maximos Constas, The Art of Seeing: Paradox and Perception in Orthodox Iconography. Alhambra, California: Sebastian Press, 2014. Pp. 263 + 73 color illustrations. Many readers of the Orthodox Arts Journal have some familiarity with the concept of symbol. Reader’s of Fr. Silouan Justiniano’s articles, for example, will know that contributors to the journal wrestle…
Continue reading »Icon Conference and Exhibit at the Museum of Russian Icons
The Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton Massachusetts is hosting it’s 9th International conference of Iconographic Studies this June, 11- 13. The topic is “Icons and Iconology.” The Museum, since it’s inception in in 2006, has worked hard to establish itself as a North American center for Icon studies. Towards this goal, the museum website…
Continue reading »Introducing BART: Byzantine Arts Today
Last year I wrote a few articles on a new initiative in Canada called BYZANTIUM: Ottawa International Byzantine Arts Symposium an initiative under the direction of Lesia Maruschak. One of the highlights of Byzantium was the opening exhibition featuring the icons of George Kordis, several Romanian iconographers and two Canadian artists: myself and Maruschak. BYZANTIUM’s highlight…
Continue reading »Icons for Peace, AI Exhibition – October 2015
The British Association of Iconographers is organizing an Exhibition of icons called Icons for Peace on the !4th-15th and 16th October from 10:30am to 5.00pm at St. Saviour’s Church, St George’s Square, Pimlico, LONDON SW1V 3QW. The exhibition will be innaugurated by His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira (Ecumenical Patriarchate) on the 14th at 11.00am. Our own…
Continue reading »Sinai Icon Conference at Princeton
Most iconographers are familiar with Kurt Weitzmann, the art historian who “rediscovered” Mount Sinai Monastery. Realizing the historical value of the treasure trove of icons at the monastery, he began a documenting project by photographing all the icons in the monastery. Weitzmann was a professor at Princeton University and the University has continued to support the digitizing of the icon…
Continue reading »Living Tradition: Painting Sacred Icons in the 21st Century
I would like to announce an upcoming event sponsored by the Orthodox Arts Journal. Living Tradition: Painting Sacred Icons in the 21st Century, will take place in Charleston, SC on May 23rd, 2015. We have invited two prominent iconographers, both contributors to the OAJ, to come and share their perspectives as liturgical artists in our…
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