Spirit and Matter: Materials and Techniques in Interaction with Christian Meanings in the Russian Art of the 21st Century

Authors

  • Sofiia Rubtsova Russian State University Named after A. N. Kosygin Автор

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22394/2073-7203-2024-42-1-115-138

Keywords:

сhristianity, christian art, Christocentric art, icon, iconography, contemporary art, material, artistic technique, religious image, symbol, light

Abstract

The article discusses the problem of representing spiritual Christian meanings with materials and techniques of the secular art. The author draws analogies between the role of materials and techniques, their symbolic meaning in liturgical art and in contemporary Christian culture. The articles analyzes the works of contemporary artists, created both in traditional materials such as wood and metal, and using modern technologies. Based on both academic works devoted to this issue and interviews with artists, the author identifies trends emerging in modern secular Christocentric art: the use of ruined materials or modern digital tools; the prevalence of the material expressiveness over the image; the rethinking the techniques and symbols of the icon. The results obtained, from the author's point of view, allow us to show the modern artistic tendency towards abstract forms using elements of iconography and updating the language of modern art in a Christian context.

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Published

2024-01-15

Issue

Section

Articles