LR: Why do you use media from the Medieval Byzantine Art periods?
TX: In the early 1990s I studied the media used by artists, named and anonymous, from the Medieval Byzantine Art periods. Tempera, egg-tempera, encaustic, fresco, and mosaic are such media. I was impressed how colors in these art techniques maintained their permanence. I enjoyed how just a few colors in their artist palettes created an array of color harmonies.
“Identifying Virtue”, 2018/19. Mixed Media on Panel. Photo: T. Xenakis.
Most significantly, I felt that the works done in these mediums maintained a power and spiritual essence in the subjects and themes they conveyed. Of course, the use of precious metals like gold and silver were important in those works and are important in my work as their symbology about light and enlightenment are still current.
LR: What motivates you to paint?
TX: My motivation to paint and create visual art is a life imperative that has been a constant for palettes created an array of color harmonies. I communicate visually in response to the circumstances and experiences that I witness. As all artists everywhere do not work in a vacuum, I need to express myself to the contemporary world and the issues surrounding me and others in my sphere.
LR: Why do you choose themes from Orthodox iconography?
TX: The inspiration of Byzantine Art in my work as a contemporary artist is rooted in the mystical, spiritual, unusual, and unfamiliar symbolism and visual language. In American society, the iconography of Orthodoxy is just beginning to appear in the mainstream as a visual. I have been using this kind of graphic language by applying these media and techniques of iconography in a contemporary way.
I address modern issues in our world. The themes of Orthodoxy deal with the spiritual in the divine and human duality. More than two thousand years of Orthodox themes really have not changed with regards to the human condition that we see today.
LR: Can you share a few words about your new work?
TX: My new work specifically addresses marginal populations within American society and around the globe. Contemporary issues of gender and racial inequality and bias, homelessness, addiction, and climate change are addressed in these works. I use Orthodox visual imagery such as the sacred icon, ecclesiastical calendars, holy books, the diptych, and triptych in a modern way.
My contemporary applications of Byzantine media in these mixed media works create a visual environment that infers a sacred and spiritual essence. The themes are contemporary, yet they have been with humankind for centuries.
Homepage: www.xenakisarts.com
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