(ICON AND PRAYER3) AWAKENING

"By way of contrast, Orthodox iconography is grounded not in the individual artist's ego, but in tradition, and represents an image of God and his saints... They are venerated not because of the name of the artist, but because of the subject he depicts... I turned from the empty pursuit of modern artist, who think the way to freedom and spiritual truth is through breaking the rules, and instead yoked myself to the liberating strictures of Holy Tradition, and in so doing found freedom and true spirituality."
(Vladimir Grygorenko, Icon-writer)

frescoes by the brothers Ioan and Sofronie of Suceava in 1595 (Moldavia, Romania). 

Photo Mick Palarczyk.

Grygorenko's beautiful description of the holy vocation of icon-writing captures that which has long been stirring in me since I discovered the art of iconography years while I was still in the seminary. Icon-writing provides for me the perfect marriage between the call to serve as a priest and my passion for the visual arts. If situated in a suitably tranquil and peaceful environment, one can hear through this holy exercise a subtle echo of the Holy Forerunner's declaration: "He must increase, I must decrease."

Indeed, there is hardly anything else left in our modern society which does not promote excessive self-indulgence. Our lives and the environment in which we live and move about have become so hopelessly permeated with things designed to heighten the craving for attention and recognition. Ironically, human history has never experienced pain, suffering, deprivation, enslavement and isolation more than in these times of supposed advancements in many disciplines.

Even our places of worship, where we hope to at least find solace and refuge from the ravages of the cult of the self in the outside world, are not spared. Churches and oratories, some of which have been around for generations have, in many instances, fallen prey to the ego-tripping of whoever is currently their steward and door-keeper. Once majestic altars and precious sanctuary appointments have periodically been ripped off their secure and prominent placements, only to be replaced by cheap, mass-produced monstrosities and bathroom tiles - all because of "father so and so" or "mr. and mrs. benefactors'" less than noble pursuit of promoting their names for public adulation rather than the glory and worship of God.

It is in the light of these tragedies that the icon and the holy work of icon-writing offer us today a possibility of being restored back to true worship of the Lord and service to our neighbors.

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frescoes by the brothers Ioan and Sofronie of Suceava in 1595 (Moldavia, Romania).

 Photo Mick Palarczyk.

Iconography does not begin with the artist asking: "what do I want to paint?" It does not commence in the mind of the artist. It does not begin with an idea conjured by the painter. It is not at the mercy of the painter's "artistic temperament" nor mood. The iconographer does not invent what he portrays. He is not at liberty to concoct shades, hues and shapes of his own liking. Rather, one submits to the call to write what was already communicated by the Icon of the invisible God, Our Savior, himself. He, the icon-writer, merely responds to the summon to be an extension, a conduit, a link to this on-going divine communication initiated by the Lord. 

What an iconographer portrays cannot be anything other than what God wants to communicate through him.

The iconographer, for all his skill and adeptness at the craft, therefore serves to be just a little more than a crude brush, a mere instrument, a tool subject to wear and tear. this is the reason why authentic icons are rarely or even never imprinted with the autograph of the painter. An icon comes to life not when the artist finally affixes his signature on it, but rather when it is already consecrated for use in prayer. And for all the exquisite techniques and aesthetic heights that this ancient art has achieved through the centuries, icons continue to be created not to decorate gallery and living-spaces, but rather to be used solely for praise and worship celebrations.

Paradoxically, it is because of the profundity and exclusivity of the icon's role in worship that its creation requires utmost precision and attention to details, sensitivity to what is truly beautiful and dignified, and painstaking devotion to all the steps to be undertaken in icon-writing: the choice of the wood for the panels, its preparation, the pigments, embellishments, etc. No expense should be spared though cost should not at all be a hindrance in producing a thing of beauty worthy of offering to the Lord. Even the very act of applying layers upon layers of delicately prepared pigments demands perseverance,patience and humility.

These things having been said, we can surmise that much remains to be desired if we are to make an honest appraisal of the general nonchalance and dismissive attitude of many among us concerning the important role of holy art especially in our spiritual well-being when seen in the light of this unbroken tradition of communicating the splendor of the gospels through beauty that our brethren in the Orthodox Faith have to offer us.

A humble disposition and a docile heart are needed if we are to allow this insight to ignite a spark in us.

Who knows, this might even provide us a possible answer as to why many nowadays seem to labor in vain trying to do ministry with dismal results. Maybe, part of the answer lies in the appropriateness and    dignity of the environment where it is conducted... or the perhaps the lack of it.