The following excerpt is from an interview with the famous iconographer, Archimandrite Zinon, taken during his residence at the Pskov-Caves Monastery. For full text, see: Liturgical Renewal.
Fr. Victor: What place should the icon have in liturgical renewal?
Fr. Zinon: In speaking about the icon, one could say that today it does not occupy its rightful place in the divine service, nor is there a proper attitude towards iconography. It has long ceased to be regarded as “theology in color”; people don’t even suspect that it is capable of conveying the teaching of the Church just like the word, and that it can likewise give false witness instead of witnessing to the Truth.
Tragically, the icon has become a mere illustration of the celebrated event, and for this reason it doesn’t matter what form it takes, because nowadays even photographs are venerated as icons.
Properly speaking, an icon does not depict; it reveals. It is the revelation of the Kingdom of Christ, a revelation of the transfigured, renewed, deified creation. An icon is born from the living experience of Heaven, from the Liturgy, and therefore iconography was always regarded as church service, as Liturgy.
High moral demands were placed on iconographers, the same as clergy. Iconographers were highly regarded; in ancient Rus’ iconography was a matter of state importance.
The influence of Western theology, and various irregularities in Eucharistic life led to the fact that the icon often became a picture of a religious subject, and veneration of the icon ceased being Orthodox, in the full sense.
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October 2, 2009 at 2:41 am
hexaemeron
“A picture of a religious subject” is not an icon, as Fr. Zinon says.
As Fr. Stephen Freeman has said, “To see an icon requires that we also be in relationship with that which it represents [reveals]. Christ is present in His icon but is only made manifest to us because we are in relationship with Him. Thus I have said that to see an icon properly involves its veneration. Veneration is an expression of our relationship with that which is represented [revealed].” See Glory to God in All Things
October 5, 2009 at 6:16 pm
fatherstephen
Reading further in the interview with Fr. Zinon – he makes this same point in various ways. I particularly like his description of the icon as a liturgical event. I could extend that and say that our proper relationship with all of creation is a liturgical event. The relationships that are revealed in the Liturgy are not an isolated “religious” happening, but a revelation of the true character of all existence.
October 7, 2009 at 3:40 pm
ElenaM
Here is another interesting site with talks, interviews, and icons of Father Zinon. Unfortunately, it’s in Russian only… But anyone can scroll down to see pictures of some of the icons written by Fr. Zinon.
http://www.cirota.ru/forum/view.php?subj=32581&fullview=1&order=desc
October 7, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Marek Czarnecki
Father Zinon makes a good point: we use the word “icon” very freely, to the point of parody. So often, we praise great artists, especially contemporary artists, for being iconoclasts; and here we are, trying to be iconophiles.
One of the questions Father Zinon asks in his own work and provocatively, for us as iconographers, is “is it possible to write an icon today?” He is trying to rebuild the tradition of iconography on scorched earth – in late twentieth century Russia, where could you start?
Unlike Father Zinon, most American iconographers are not starting on a ground of historical devastation, but an open field where nothing has been planted yet; it’s still a wide open frontier.
In other writings of Father Zinon’s that I’ve read, he says that the spiritual and anthropological climate that nurtured and enabled the great historical periods and movements of iconography no longer exists. I also read that he feels that much of what we are doing is nostalgic, but without a foundation of tradition, how is it possible to make something that resonates as authentic?
He understands that the level and depth of iconography is dependant on many different factors in each era. Ksenia Pokrovsky taught me that inevitably, you will see the spiritual life of the iconographer, the spiritual condition of the church, and the state of the world in any and every icon.
For anyone interested in learning more about Father Zinon, and iconography in 20th century Russia (including the diaspora of iconographers working outside of Russia, up to the present), I want to recommend Paraclete Press’s forthcoming book,
“Hidden and Triumphant: The Underground Struggle to Save Russian Iconography” by Irina Yazikova http://www.paracletepress.com/hidden-and-triumphant-the-underground-struggle-to-save-russian-iconography.html.
October 8, 2009 at 12:10 am
hexaemeron
The “Hidden and the Triumphant: the Underground Struggle to Save Russian Iconography”, due to be released in April 2010, published by Paraclete Press with a forward by Frederica Mathewes-Green, is destined to enlighten readers on the clandestine movement of iconographers in Soviet Russia during the 1970’s and 80s, which contributed mightily to the abundant renewal of the Russian Orthodox Church currently enjoyed.
I have not received a copy yet, but I understand the author, Irina Yazykova, has devoted a chapter to describing the efforts of her friend, the famous iconographer Xenia Pokrovskaya, who co-founded Izograph Society during one of the most repressive eras for icon-painting, and formed a vast network of underground affiliate iconographers. Pokrovsky immigrated to the USA in 1991 as a political refuge after the brutal murder of her spiritual Father, Alexander Men.
In 2005, I had the great pleasure to have Irina Yazykova, Ph.D. in Cultural Studies, art critic, and Chair of Christian Art Department, St. Andrew’s Biblical Theological Institute , as my guide through the monasteries and museums in and around Moscow, including Fr. Men’s memorial chapel near Moscow, where Fr. Zinon painted the iconostasis.
January 10, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Grace Zazzaro
The Icon in America is like a pioneer, searching and in its discovery it is being threatened in a vast frontier. However we look at Icons now can greatly change its purpose which; reveals to us the incarnation of Christ.
We as student Iconographers must keep the tradition even if the climate is only luke warm here in American soil.
But how is this possible with so few to lead us?
In many ways Fr. Zenon can teach us; to never give up in our struggles and fight the good fight, weather we are scorched by history or faced with a new horizon.
The meaning and survival of the Christian Icon through out the centuries is a wonder, filled with possibilities for us as students in America today. We find our selfs overcome with with challenges that would threaten the Icons integerity. Yet, the possibilities can enable us to repeat what has been laid out before us through scripiture, liturgy,and canons. And we may keep the tradition alive.