My Approach to Iconography

Being an iconographer in the twenty-first century may sound rather old-fashioned. At first glance, iconography can seem like a highly regulated art, limited by canons and numerous prescriptions. It may even appear rigid and lifeless. Yet every time I return to the tradition of Christian art, I see something very different. Throughout its history, it has always been remarkably diverse, leaving space for artistic freedom and individual expression. I cannot, and do not like to, simply copy. Every time I work on an image, I rethink and re-conceive it from the beginning. I do not start by thinking about beauty. I am always thinking about the expression of the image — what it needs to say and how its visual language can make that expression possible.

I have a deep love for the material side of painting and enjoy working with different surfaces and techniques. Materials have their own character, and I like to reveal it rather than hide it: the convex threads of fabric, the roughness of ceramic tiles, the uneven surface of old wood. These qualities become part of the image itself, giving it another dimension.

For me, working within tradition does not mean reproducing what has already been done. It means knowing the tradition well enough to enter into a dialogue with it, while continuing to look for new ways of expressing the sacred image.

Teaching

Teaching is an integral part of my artistic practice. It allows me to share not only practical skills, but also a way of looking at images. I want students to understand what they are drawing and painting rather than simply learn how to reproduce what they see.

For me, teaching is also a process of systematizing my own experience. It means finding clear verbal and practical explanations for things that I often perceive intuitively in the process of working. Something that begins as an intuitive understanding gradually becomes a structured and articulated system that I can explain to others. This process is important to me because it makes my own knowledge and experience open and accessible to other people.

I am interested in teaching not how to reproduce the surface of an icon, but how to understand what lies beneath it — the artistic principles and deeper qualities that make an image work. I am quite firm when it comes to these principles and to the professional standards of the work. At the same time, I believe that there is no single way to apply them.

Iconography is often described as a communal art, where the personal voice of the artist should not be at the centre. Yet it is very important to me that iconography can also be a personal expression. I believe that an image can truly touch us only when it comes from a real and personal encounter with what it represents.

Each student has their own character and way of seeing, and I treat this individuality with great care. My aim is not to teach people to paint like me, but to give them a solid understanding of the principles of drawing and iconography, so that they can work with confidence, awareness, and their own voice.