Waynesburg University’s Department of Fine Arts will host an art show featuring artwork from international artist Joni Zavitsanos and her late father, renowned Byzantine iconographer Diamantis Cassis. An opening reception will be held Monday, March 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Skylight Room on the third floor of Eberly Library.
Zavitsanos is a Byzantine iconographer and contemporary artist whose unique work explores the earliest form of Christian art and its reflection in the modern world. The show, “My Father’s Daughter: Byzantine Art in the Modern World,” will run from March 21 through June 20. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Byzantine iconography, which originated in the 1st Century, was created to provide a visual text within Christian theology, using a disciplined technique to eliminate personal style from the artist. Zavitsanos’ work takes a contemporary approach to traditional Byzantine iconography, translating the sacred imagery into a more secular form through the use of mixed media art.
Her artwork joins collages of print clippings and the ancient images of Byzantine iconography to show the sorrows of today’s world and the search for an answer from the Divine. She also draws inspiration from her father's work.
In addition to the art show, Zavitsanos will also serve as a DeVito Lecture Series speaker for 2023. The lecture will be held Tuesday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall, the third floor of Miller Hall, and will also feature guest speaker Greg Halvatzis, Board Chair of the Waynesburg University Board of Trustees.
For more information on the art show, contact Andrew Heisey, chairperson for the Department of Fine Arts and associate professor of art, at aheisey@waynesburg.edu or 724-852-3274.
DeVito Lecture Series Event
Interested in attending the Rosetta Kormuth DeVito Lecture Series event featuring Zavitsanos and Halvatzis? Read the press release below for more information.
