VLADIMIR GRYGORENKO ICONOGRAPHIC STUDIO

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. Inside Orthodox churches, you can find icons from different regions and different times, made in different styles - but all are equally venerated. They are venerated not because of the name of the artist, but because of the Subject he depicts. From an artistic point of view, I saw enormous beauty shining forth from those old and damaged boards - colors that would make Matisse jealous, and lines laying out the path to artistic freedom and true wisdom. The well-written icon appears more profound and more worthy than most contemporary art objects. In the end, I turned from the empty pursuit of modern artists, who think the way to freedom and spiritual truth is through breaking the rules, and instead yoked myself to the liberating discipline of Holy Tradition - and in so doing, found true freedom, and true spirituality... I was born in..

Primary location: Charleston United States