Todor Mitrovic
Born in Belgrade, Serbia, 1972. Graduated from the Faculty of Fine arts (FLU) at the University of Arts in Belgrade, 1997. Awarded Doctor of Arts degree, from the same Faculty/University, 2015.
Theoretically researching Church art through the fields of art theory, art history (byzantine), theology... Published numerous papers and one book (2012), which was later translated and published in two European languages.
Exhibited artworks at ten solo exhibitions, and at numerous group exhibitions throughout Europe.
Active engagement in the Belgrade art scene with abstract paintings (awarded for the exhibition in 1999). Painting icons since 1993. Having experienced diverse modes of artistic expression (portrait, abstract, and icon painting), Todor Mitrović is trying to make a bridge between the Church and contemporary art in his icons. Through artistic and theoretic postgraduate researches he achieved to exhibit icons as an academically recognized development of contemporary art scene (magisterium: “Iconography as a contemporary painting”; doctorate: “Icon – Between the Imprint, the Picture and the Word”). Teaching different courses about (portable) icon painting, on bachelor and master level, at the Academy of Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation in Belgrade, in status of (full) Professor.
Theoretically researching Church art through the fields of art theory, art history (byzantine), theology... Published numerous papers and one book (2012), which was later translated and published in two European languages.
Exhibited artworks at ten solo exhibitions, and at numerous group exhibitions throughout Europe.
Active engagement in the Belgrade art scene with abstract paintings (awarded for the exhibition in 1999). Painting icons since 1993. Having experienced diverse modes of artistic expression (portrait, abstract, and icon painting), Todor Mitrović is trying to make a bridge between the Church and contemporary art in his icons. Through artistic and theoretic postgraduate researches he achieved to exhibit icons as an academically recognized development of contemporary art scene (magisterium: “Iconography as a contemporary painting”; doctorate: “Icon – Between the Imprint, the Picture and the Word”). Teaching different courses about (portable) icon painting, on bachelor and master level, at the Academy of Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation in Belgrade, in status of (full) Professor.
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Books by Todor Mitrovic
Careful contextualization of this specific pictorial invention shows the enormous richness of its semantic potential and, consequently, demonstrates that the image of Byzantine Christ changed in the most subtle yet the most radical ways throughout the Middle Ages. Namely, the very color change radically subverts the earlier conventions of Byzantine artistic language, up to the point of becoming a specific designator of Christ’s kenotic un-exclusivity on the symbolic horizon of a medieval viewer. His image changes from the powerful sovereign dressed entirely-in-purple (or gold), in Early Byzantine art, to become the power-emptied High Priest, who is dressed in garment colored by innovative blue color, which is, at the same time, appropriate to be worn in heavens and by any human being on earth. Thus, this research shows how the relations between imperial and ecclesiastical ideologies gradually changed, not only in the high level theological or courtly realms, but also in the domain of the most popular visual culture at the time. Finally, as those meaningful changes directly affected the image of Christ, which was the cornerstone of the entire Byzantine representational system, the semantic capacities of the mysterious blueness of his robe were to increase beyond political symbolism, and enrich to the point of becoming – as this study will argue – one of the most profound pictorial inventions of European (medieval) culture.
Поглавље 8: "Пред ликом евхаристијског Тела..." [Chapter 8: "Before the Countenance of the Eucharistic Body..."]
Поглавље 9: "... са широм отвореним очима" [Chapter 9: "... With Eyes Wide Open"]
Цитат из књиге (из 'Закључних разматрања'):
„Прекривајући сваки педаљ литургијског простора иконама сачињеним од драгоцених пигмената, драгоцених метала или драгоцених тканина, позновизантијски хришћани (данашњем читаоцу морају изгледати) као да су заиста изгубили сваку дозу прагматичности и све своје земаљско благо (утопијски?) покушавали да „подигну на небо“. Оно што је у овој студији показано, пак, сугерише да таква врста „улагања у уметност“ није служила превасходно томе да би слике постале уверљивије, јер оне су своју уверљивост већ одавно доказале. Поглед из инверзне перспективе, са оне стране иконичке симетрије – као што је то овде више пута показано – у датом се контексту наметнуо као херменеутички меродавнија могућност: управо уласком у иконичке димензије праве вредности су проглашаване и успостављане. Могућност преображаја земаљских у небеска блага, могућност преображаја земаљског у небески простор, као и (она најважнија) могућност преображаја смртног у бесмртно тело је проглашавана и тумачена „уздизањем“ онога што је материјално ка иконичким сазнајним сферама. Управо захваљујући овој парадоксалној, крајње непрагматичној – могло би се без задршке рећи и инверзној – врсти сазнајног реализма, пак, настала је уметност која и данас хришћане уздиже из сфере пролазности и инспирише на молитву.
А будући успостављен кроз ову врсту симетричког иконичког преокрета, византијски иконички поредак је преточен у ликовни језик који ће постати не само много више од средства за представљање стварности, већ више и од средства за оприсутњење представљене стварности: византијска икона ће постати актером преображаја стварности. (...)“
4. Основе живописања: приручник [друго издање], Академија СПЦ за уметности и консервацију / Задужбина Светог манастира Хиландара, Београд 2022.
3. Carte de Pictură. Bazele Iconografiei (translation: Dușița Ristin), Editura Bizantina, Bucureşti 2015.
2. Основи на църковната живопис (translation: Татяна Филева), Омофор, Фондация „Покров Богородичен“, София 2014.
1. Основе живописања: приручник, Академија СПЦ за уметности и консервацију / Задужбина Светог манастира Хиландара, Београд 2012.
Друго српско издање Основа живописања је могуће набавити код издавача: hilandar.org | akademijaspc.edu.rs
или (наручити електронски) у књижари Библос: biblos.rs
[ordering from abroad at: biblos.rs/porucivanje-iz-inostranstva]
Papers by Todor Mitrovic
Тешко ћемо данас наћи неког ко би спорио чињеницу да су иконе органски део живота Цркве, без кога се православни хришћански идентитет не може ни замислити. Потреба за очувањем и развојем нашег црквеног наслеђа у области различитих видова визуелних уметности је, дакле, дубока и насушна. Упуштајући се у упознавање једне високошколске установе која је из овакве потребе израсла, ваљало би се најпре запитати о најдубљим основама из којих сама потреба израста. Другим речима, ако се сви слажемо око тога да су визуелне уметности изузетно значајне за Православну цркву, овде би се пре свега ваљало запитати о разлозима и размерама овога значаја. Наравно, са одговором на ово питање се не може почети другде доли у средњем веку, у времену у коме је Српска Црква формирана, те преузела темељне утицаје византијског културног наслеђа, заједно са визуелним уметностима које су том наслеђу припадале.
Careful contextualization of this specific pictorial invention shows the enormous richness of its semantic potential and, consequently, demonstrates that the image of Byzantine Christ changed in the most subtle yet the most radical ways throughout the Middle Ages. Namely, the very color change radically subverts the earlier conventions of Byzantine artistic language, up to the point of becoming a specific designator of Christ’s kenotic un-exclusivity on the symbolic horizon of a medieval viewer. His image changes from the powerful sovereign dressed entirely-in-purple (or gold), in Early Byzantine art, to become the power-emptied High Priest, who is dressed in garment colored by innovative blue color, which is, at the same time, appropriate to be worn in heavens and by any human being on earth. Thus, this research shows how the relations between imperial and ecclesiastical ideologies gradually changed, not only in the high level theological or courtly realms, but also in the domain of the most popular visual culture at the time. Finally, as those meaningful changes directly affected the image of Christ, which was the cornerstone of the entire Byzantine representational system, the semantic capacities of the mysterious blueness of his robe were to increase beyond political symbolism, and enrich to the point of becoming – as this study will argue – one of the most profound pictorial inventions of European (medieval) culture.
Поглавље 8: "Пред ликом евхаристијског Тела..." [Chapter 8: "Before the Countenance of the Eucharistic Body..."]
Поглавље 9: "... са широм отвореним очима" [Chapter 9: "... With Eyes Wide Open"]
Цитат из књиге (из 'Закључних разматрања'):
„Прекривајући сваки педаљ литургијског простора иконама сачињеним од драгоцених пигмената, драгоцених метала или драгоцених тканина, позновизантијски хришћани (данашњем читаоцу морају изгледати) као да су заиста изгубили сваку дозу прагматичности и све своје земаљско благо (утопијски?) покушавали да „подигну на небо“. Оно што је у овој студији показано, пак, сугерише да таква врста „улагања у уметност“ није служила превасходно томе да би слике постале уверљивије, јер оне су своју уверљивост већ одавно доказале. Поглед из инверзне перспективе, са оне стране иконичке симетрије – као што је то овде више пута показано – у датом се контексту наметнуо као херменеутички меродавнија могућност: управо уласком у иконичке димензије праве вредности су проглашаване и успостављане. Могућност преображаја земаљских у небеска блага, могућност преображаја земаљског у небески простор, као и (она најважнија) могућност преображаја смртног у бесмртно тело је проглашавана и тумачена „уздизањем“ онога што је материјално ка иконичким сазнајним сферама. Управо захваљујући овој парадоксалној, крајње непрагматичној – могло би се без задршке рећи и инверзној – врсти сазнајног реализма, пак, настала је уметност која и данас хришћане уздиже из сфере пролазности и инспирише на молитву.
А будући успостављен кроз ову врсту симетричког иконичког преокрета, византијски иконички поредак је преточен у ликовни језик који ће постати не само много више од средства за представљање стварности, већ више и од средства за оприсутњење представљене стварности: византијска икона ће постати актером преображаја стварности. (...)“
4. Основе живописања: приручник [друго издање], Академија СПЦ за уметности и консервацију / Задужбина Светог манастира Хиландара, Београд 2022.
3. Carte de Pictură. Bazele Iconografiei (translation: Dușița Ristin), Editura Bizantina, Bucureşti 2015.
2. Основи на църковната живопис (translation: Татяна Филева), Омофор, Фондация „Покров Богородичен“, София 2014.
1. Основе живописања: приручник, Академија СПЦ за уметности и консервацију / Задужбина Светог манастира Хиландара, Београд 2012.
Друго српско издање Основа живописања је могуће набавити код издавача: hilandar.org | akademijaspc.edu.rs
или (наручити електронски) у књижари Библос: biblos.rs
[ordering from abroad at: biblos.rs/porucivanje-iz-inostranstva]
Тешко ћемо данас наћи неког ко би спорио чињеницу да су иконе органски део живота Цркве, без кога се православни хришћански идентитет не може ни замислити. Потреба за очувањем и развојем нашег црквеног наслеђа у области различитих видова визуелних уметности је, дакле, дубока и насушна. Упуштајући се у упознавање једне високошколске установе која је из овакве потребе израсла, ваљало би се најпре запитати о најдубљим основама из којих сама потреба израста. Другим речима, ако се сви слажемо око тога да су визуелне уметности изузетно значајне за Православну цркву, овде би се пре свега ваљало запитати о разлозима и размерама овога значаја. Наравно, са одговором на ово питање се не може почети другде доли у средњем веку, у времену у коме је Српска Црква формирана, те преузела темељне утицаје византијског културног наслеђа, заједно са визуелним уметностима које су том наслеђу припадале.
[THE IMPRINT] The idea of high-level-of-presence of archetype in icon, characteristic for the earliest development phases of Byzantine art, is thus related to the semiotic notion of index. Through the interference with the cult of relics on one side, and sphragistic practices and metaphors on the other, the early image of a saint is recognized as a sign that is causally, almost physically connected with its archetype. [This is why the term imprint was the most appropriate title for the first part of this study.] What Peirce regarded distinctive for a specific indexical category of signs, can be recognized as the key semiotic mode for positioning pre-iconoclastic art in the ecclesiastical context virtually hostile to visual representations. ‘The index is physically connected with its object; they make an organic pair, but the interpreting mind has nothing to do with this connection, except remarking it, after it is established’. Raised spontaneously, apart from magisterial theological trends of the epoch, the cult of icons was tending – correspondingly – to hypostatize some kind of objective, causal relation between the image and its archetype, with little concern about the interpretational potentials/dangers of this relation. But, exactly that kind of indexical accents – so important at the beginning – became a stumbling stone for the iconophile theology and, consequently, a problem that should be solved in post-iconoclastic culture. Even the role of the very palladium of victory over iconoclasm, the relic-imprint-image of Mandylion, together with its miraculous derivate, Keramion, had to be carefully rethought in worship and in arts. Their physical withdrawal from the (public) liturgical life of the imperial city – as relics – was curiously followed by their gaining a very important structural position in the Byzantine system of pictorial representation – as icons (frescos). Such a confusing cognitive shifts could be explained only by interpreting the medieval icon as a composite sign (with its indexical, iconic and symbolic aspects), structured through the changes of semiotic accents, according to the needs of historical or ecclesiastical contexts. [Hence the basic methodological frame for tripartite structuring of this theoretic research.] Thus, though icons of Christ and saints could never have been completely deprived of (need for) their indexical dimension, after the iconoclasm such a requisite had to be less conspicuous and fulfilled in different, more abstract, more theological manner – without referring to the cult of relics and sphragistic practices/metaphors. That is why the other two (Peircean) categories of signs happened to be much more useful in interpreting the developments of post-iconoclastic art.
[THE PICTURE] What Peirce named iconic signs is not related to Byzantine icons, save the fact that the concept of likeness was, more or less, congruent to both. This is why the second part of this study, dedicated to the application of semiotic notion of iconicity in the research of Byzantine art, is marked by contextually neutral term – picture. At first glance, the concept of likeness in this art occurred so pervasively molded by the pressure of its indexical aspects, from one side, and its symbolic aspects, from the other, that detection of specifically iconic aspects of the icon seemed almost impossible. But the fact that similar problems confronted the implementation of the concept of iconicity in semiotics (on most general level) throughout second half of XX century, turned out to be very fruitful when applied to the Middle Ages artistic realms. If the relation between the sign and the signified is based on likeness, then the symmetry of this relation confuses the motivation of semiotic processes and, consequently, searching for similar features could lead us to recognition of the iconic relation between any two entities in our world. While trying to resolve those problems [the, so called, argument of symmetry and argument of regression], contemporary semioticians noted that – from the perspective of such an endeavor – the Middle Ages turn out to be a real ‘night of all iconicities’. The truth is that in those times (almost) everything could mean (almost) everything, while – what’s more important for this study – iconic symmetry was abundantly demonstrating its confusing powers exactly in the realms of visual arts. Experiencing bodily appearance as an image of the image(s) was not reserved for mysterious subconscious levels of human existence, but was a legitimate expressive tool in arts, literature and life. Thus, not only the likeness of the image to its archetype was important, but the likeness of the human to (his/her) image was an issue that configured the horizon of Byzantine (visual) culture. In late Antiquity the experience of human bodily existence was directly influenced by such twofold relations, recognizable today under the generalized notion of ‘living image’, but after the iconoclasm that motif was going to get an even more complicated, picturesque dimension. The most obvious demonstration of this expressive shift can be recognized in the specific late Byzantine architectural arrangements, which enabled persons of saintly status to take part in church worship through the (open) window of their own living space. Framed by other icons of the wall decoration system, their faces (and, partly, their bodies) were presented (to the community) as ‘living images’ in a context radically different from the late antique one. At the beginning, human ideal bodily appearance was adjusted through the comparison with stillness and monumentality of statues – with the lonesome figure of stylite, rising as a monument, in the very centre of early Byzantine iconic horizon – but, at the end, it was entering the theologically structured (and framed) pictorial narration that was providing the most powerful image of ascetic excellence and the semiotic frame for activation of iconic symmetry mechanisms. If initial appropriation of the ‘living icon’ concept by ascetics can be interpreted in terms of rebel or (even) concurrence to the official imperial/hierarchical power networks, then the ‘living icon’ of late Byzantium had to be pacified and ‘flattened’ by the fact that monks became a cornerstone of the very power-network itself. The fact, that ‘living icon/saint’ was framed as an element of structure that provided a huge and stabile picture of the eschatological world, was the most appropriate possibility for the radical exercise of iconic symmetry in late Byzantium. While such an inspiring influence of images on human body could be detected through the research of ascetic practices, it gets easier to understand why the power of iconic symmetry was so abundantly used in liturgy. If exemplary figures of Byzantine Christianity – the emperor and the monk/bishop – could be proud to become (like) pictures, then such an intensive influence of images on human body could not escape being integrated in worship, on different popular levels. The cognitive gap opened by haptic, bodily distancing of the congregation from liturgical rituals was spontaneously inhabited (and, thus, closed) by images. Icons were not only the means of being ‘in touch’ with physically absent saints, but they virtually reframed the eschatological presence of the Body of Christ which was in the centre of medieval clerical mystifications and prohibitions. Instead of taking part in rituals, laics were enabled to watch them on images, in the domain of weakened iconic presence, while the growing power of images – on the other hand – exercised its influence on liturgy itself. Moreover, liturgy was not simply interpreted by (painted or embroidered) icons – it was actually consisted of those icons, which were physically covering what was prohibited and – in return – discovering the same reality (that was longed for), in a different, iconic medium. (...)
[from the abstract of the theoretic part of artistic doctoral project defended at University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Fine Arts, on 28 October 2015; for the integral abstract open the document].
PRESENTING INNOCENCE FROM THE PARADISE: WORLD OF TODOR MITROVIĆ'S ICONS
Exhibiting icons in an art gallery carries a seed of danger because they can loose purpose and meaning, unless they are used as a mean to shape the space and alter its dimensions. To have gallery space become a content instead of being space to contain objects. To extend and open up the space in such a way that it assumes wholeness [καθολικότητα] of a temple, dimension of a church. Doing that is difficult and a painter may only symbolically attempt to venture there. An artist may aspire to achieve this goal only through meaning and signification, using his icons as his only tool – their strength or their weakens. With this exhibition Todor Mitrović dares to undertake this difficult voyage. He strives to present grand in a small. Furthermore, he desires to create a space and time dimension for participation of a viewer, an admirer of his icons. Mitrović's space and time are represented in the distance between two images or more precisely in the distance between the two opposed estates of a person who transformed human history giving it a new purpose - one of Christ who is sacrificed and the other of Christ who is glorified. History of persons invited to participate in joy of life, purposeful solely as a state of communion [κοινωνίας], flows and stands still at the same time between these two dimensions. Martyrs, ascetics, poets, bishops, emperors, fools and wise in Christ. It is a strain of characters who withhold in time secret of repentance, sacrifice and resurrection – the secret of love and life. Therefore the sequence of Mitrović's icons is not a mere line up of art pieces [μονάδων]. It is an icon of life as unity and communion.
Tradition is apparent in his icons not as a set of rules, but as a living testimony to God in contemporary language. Although he has been dedicated to iconography since 2003, the connection between the artist and contemporary art has guided his research into iconography.
Todor’s images stand out from the fastidiously copied icons produced by the majority of contemporary iconographers. Todor’s work has power; it can be compared with catacomb frescoes that capture the essence of the early Christians’ reverence for the testimony of God.
His icons are informed by on-going research in theology and iconography and meditation about the current condition of icon painting. His work provides answers to several questions about Eastern Christian liturgical art, but nevertheless, at the forefront is his painting technique, which is similar to the medieval prototype.
У Галерији УЛУС-а током августа месеца своје иконе излагао је Тодор Митровић, иконописац, професор Иконописа на Високој школи - Академији Српске Православне Цркве за уметности и консервацију и члан УЛУС-а. Представљено је 75 икона у темпера техници, малих формата (20x15цм) које представљају портретске иконе различитих светитеља. Изложба је била прворазредни културни догађај у Београду, коју је видело много посетилаца, јер је превазишла стандардне изложбе икона. Аутор је на новим материјалима и неуобичајеним поступком приближио тајну заједничарења са светитељима које видимо као истинске личности. Наизглед непретенциозан уметнички израз уметника отвара полемику да ли је нови миленијум створио климу за оригиналну црквену уметност, лишену копизма и пуког подражавања, која ће у новом светлу представити Христа који се жртвује, и Христа у вечности, а све у радости живота човека овог времена који трага за тајном љубави и заједничарења.