In 2011, I found a new theme to explore: medieval imagery. In the Middle Ages, oil paint didn’t exist, which led me to experiment with egg tempera.
During a workshop held by a friend of mine, I had to bring a panel to paint on. That eventually became my first icon, #001. This was the start of a series that would grow much larger. Shortly after, I created a sculpture of the Mother of God, an imposing figure with a cross shape at the front. The back, visible only if you walked around the piece, was even more surprising. Mary wore a cloak richer and more impressive than the finest damask. She wore art — a cloak made up of thirty-four small icons on panels. I painted forty but had six left over. This is how my icon series began, and it has been growing ever since.
What struck me later was how medieval imagery was strongly influenced by what happened along the Silk Road. This route was not only a path for goods but also for ideas and knowledge. It brought cultures together, and this is something that has increasingly shown up in my work, including my icons. What started as an experiment with ancient techniques has now grown into a series that explores the connection between worlds and eras.
