Friday, 4 March 2022

Ukrainian icons in Cracow

 They are icons painted by Jerzy Nowosielski, one of the best known Polish painters of the 20th century, in an Orthodox church in Cracow. He was of Ukrainian origin, of Orthodox denomination, and so among other things he painted icons. What is interesting is that I was told that for a long time his icons weren't treated as icons. I was told (in the very Cracow Orthodox church) that painting an icon is a prayer, the painter should start with eyes, the icon is supposed to look at you, whereas in Nowosielski's icons one can hardly see eyes at all. But then he became famous and now some of his icons can be seen in that church.















 

 


Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Fires in Valencia

In Valencia the coming of spring is greeted by burning of figures made of papier-maché. The custom is called fallas (pronounced fayas)  and it apparently is pretty fiery. Some of the figures can be seen at any time, because the best are always saved from the flames and sent to the Museo Fallero. This is where these pictures are from.