I wish to examine the meaning of religious icons and their consideration as a valid pursuit of contemporary artists. The topic of my creative practice developed out of my profession in Romania as a Byzantine iconographer between 1998 and 2005. Negotiating my fascination with the “gods” of my childhood led to the creation of an imaginary world in which religious figures from Byzantine iconography interact with characters from Looney Tunesã animations. I offer a scenario where religious iconography meets modern pop culture.

Researching the relationships of historical devotional images of pious experiences can be challenging, especially in the face of the contemporary art world’s discursive inhibition around religion. The image as an art form became the most susceptible to commoditization and thus is less able to induce spiritual experiences. Instead, music, poetry, and dance are the art forms that now most frequently resonate with the audience in conveying spiritual experiences. By reconsidering popular culture elements, religious ideas and artistic methods from the work of icon-painters I want to establish an aesthetic inquiry that is an alternative to the current corporate fine art world of “aesthetics of commodities”.