lamentation | church of st.

panteleimon at nerezi
pg 18 | “compelling pain”

The Art Cabinet for the art curious

feb 2022
Cheers to more art.
December was a crazy busy month
for me and the Art Cabinet team.
So, we decided to wait until the
next cycle to release our newest
edition. This February edition of The
Art Cabinet includes a lot about
our editor-in-chief, Grayson Wise.
She just hosted “Coffee with the
Collection” at the Fred Jones Jr.
Museum of Art regarding her art-
work “She’s a Dreamer: Italian
Remnants,” so we wanted
to spotlight her work as an artist
and an art historian.
NEW EXHIBITIONS +
+ ART EXPERIENCES
NEW
NEW EXHIBITIONS + ART
EXHIBITIONS ART EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
okc moa
Pop Art and Text
On view until July 24th
Perception and Technique in
Abstract Art
On view until July 24th
The Perfect Shot
March 5th - September 4th
fred jones jr. moa
108th SOVA Student
Exhibition
On view until March 20th
philbrook moa
The Human Condition:
Drawings by Rick Bartow
On view until March 13th
Another World:
The Transcendental
Painting Group
On view until Feb 20th
gilcrease moa
temporarily closed for
construction
the momentary
In Some Form or Fashion
On view until March 27th
Rashawn Griffin: We No Lon-
ger Recognize the Backs of
Our Hands
On view until May 5th
crystal bridges moa
The Bruising: for Jules, The
Bird, Jack and Leni
On view
Julie Alpert: Altars, Keep-
sakes, Squiggles, and Bows
On view until May 16th
Cross Pollination
On view until March 21th
dallas moa
Jean-Michel Basquiat:
“Sam F”
On view until February 13th
Rooted
On view until March 9th
kimbell moa
Turner’s Modern World
On view until February 6th
nelson-atkins moa
Formed from Fire: Enamel
Portrait Miniatures
On view until March 30th
Weaving Splendor: Treasures
of Asian Textiles
On view until March 6th
The Creativity Studio
On view until March 6th
okc contemporary
Open World: Video Games &
Contemporary Art
On view until February 21st
23 Que
estions
with

GRAYSON WISE
( a k a g ra y )
1. TELL US ABOUT YOUR ART STYLE.

Colorful, rich yet simple, dreamy, and a little

weird. I like creating dream worlds through
photography, but with my illustration I prefer loud
color palettes that are hard to ignore.

2. WHEN DID YOU START PRACTICING ART?

I always have definitely been involved in the art

world. I danced as a child, but was always really
enjoyed the visual arts. I drew as a kid, did col-
lages, and basically tried to make art with any
materials I had. I was never concerned with the
quality, and I felt that was very freeing as a kid.
As I progress as an artist with both my photogra-
phy and illustration, I am definitely just trying to
find that freedom again to create what I feel is
good, and not necessarily by regular standards
for art.

3. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO BE AN ARTIST?

As an art historian, I am truly inspired by the art I

study on my own and through my classes. It is
the passion and the secrets of the art of the past
that is thrilling to me. I use that to take in new
methods, ideas, and ways art can relate to the
regular world. My personal experiences are also
very influential. Especially in my work Italian
Remnants, which is very personal, it has a great
impact on my work.

4. WHAT INSPIRATIONS DO YOU DRAW

FROM?

Antiques, old art, people, places, media I

consume, everything.
5. COFFEE, TEA, OR BOBA?

I am a coffee snob to the max, but I love a

goooood iced cold brew latte with oat milk, Onyx
Coffee... sponsor me. However, I love matcha +
boba together. That is a match made in heaven.

6. WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING

AFTER UNDERGRAD?

I want to continue my art practice, Etsy shop,

and perhaps most importantly, pursue my art
history education more with grad school!

7. ONE MEAL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…

GO!

It is a tie between this gyoza I had in Italy and

seabass with toretellini, and a side of bread.
Including olive oil for dipping of course!!

8. TELL US ABOUT YOUR ETSY SHOP.

I just started selling my illustrative prints that

take on op culture, like art museums and an-
imes, and rework their identities in my style. I
am currently working on a Ghibli series that I am
super excited about! I wanted to start an Etsy
to not only get my art out there but to also
create something compelling and wanted by the
public. I believe art should be experienced by
everyone, and if I do that by selling inexpensive
prints of popular things, then so be it, I will!

9. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST

CURRENTLY?

How dare you give me this question as an art

histoiran. From my historian perspective...
Caravaggio, Boucher, and Gentileschi will always
be in my top five. In terms of contemporary
art, I love Daniella Krysa, Fabiola Jean-Louis, and
Jago!
10. WHAT ARE THREE THINGS YOU CANNOT
LIVE WITHOUT?

My Mac/iPad (school, work, everything I do is on

there!), camera (I love to document), and coffee
(coffee shops give me life)

11. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART

OF BECOMING AN ARTIST?

I honestly don’t know if I have an answer for this.

I struggle a lot with considering myself a “good”
artist so sometimes I feel like there are more
hardships than happiness. However, as I work
through that, I think through my success in the
art I have done comes from how it impacts other
people. If it inspires them or makes them feel
something, I am happy.

12. IN CHILDHOOD, DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE

AN ARTIST?

Yes, of course. When I tell you art is my reason

to live... I mean that. However, I always assumed
I would be a dancer more than anything. I am
more than thrilled with being a visual artist
however. That is a conversation for another time
for sure!

13. ARE WE ABLE TO REQUEST

COMMISSIONS? IF SO, WHAT ARE YOUR
FAVORITES TO DO?

Yes, my commissions are always open, I just

don’t advertise! I love doing photography com-
missions that are super weird and abnormal the
most. I enjoy drawing commissions as well, but I
prefer to do pretty open ended things, so more
so requests! I know, kind of confusing!
14. YOU PRODUCE YOUR OWN
MERCHANDISE AS WELL. WHAT IS THAT
PROCESS LIKE?

It can be fantastic, super easy, and not stressful

at all. It is satisfying making everything, packag-
ing all of it, etc. However, when things go wrong,
it sucks. If my printer is being whacky or I am
unexpectedly out of ink... disaster!

15. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE

HOBBIES?

Art haha, but also I like reading when I have the

time, watching documentaries, playing card
games, traveling, and learning languages.

16. FAVORITE BOOK?

A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. It

changed me.

17. FAVORITE ANIME?

Attack on Titan is my real answer, but definitely

have to include my favorite comfort anime... Sk8
the Infinity. I have watched it so much. Also,
Death Note will always be a fav, along with
Erased, and JJK. Too many to give a
good answer!

18. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR

FAVORITE PIECE YOU’VE CREATED AND
WHY?

She’s a Dreamer: Italian Remnants. That piece

means so much to me, and it always will. It is in
the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art now, so
please go see if you can. The piece is very per-
sonal to me, and it helped me work through a
lot.
19. YOU CAN HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE IN
THE WORLD, DEAD OR ALIVE. WHO WOULD
IT BE AND WHY?

This answer totally changes every day. It just is

contigent on what I am doing, what my feelings
are, everything. There are so many people I
would love to talk to, but for now, let’s just say
Louis XIV. I just completed a thesis on him and
the art in Versailles that involves him. I just want
to know how this man really operated and
what he thought about. This is purely for curiosi-
ty and not admiration haha. He is so intriguing.

20. ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE

YOU DIE?

I want to host an art/travel documentary show...

Rick Steves, but only art! Also, I want to be a
sommelier.

21. SOMETHING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO

KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT WOULDN’T NOR-
MALLY ASK:

I wish people would ask me more about art

history! It isn’t really something they don’t know
about me, but I would love to express that side
of me in a genuine conversation with people that
want to know about it.

22. IDEAL DAY:

Sleep in, watch an art documentary, go to a

coffee shop to vibe, an art museum, and finish
off with a really boujee dinner and wine. I love to
splurge on food.

23. ANY ADVICE TO ARTISTS OUT THERE?

Don’t be too caught up in the idea of what good

art is and what it ought to be. It is totally subjec-
tive. Create what you want. Make is compelling.
Make it exactly how you want.
To see more of grayson’s
work, go follow her on Instagram
@graywiseart
Buy some of her work on Etsy!

ART
AROUND

THE
WORLD
Sandy Skoglund
american artist

mmm these photographs are

just so divine. take it in bb.
AUCTIONS.

masters week at sotheby’s

 madonna and child, sandro di pietro,
15th century
sold for:
239,400 USD

the madonna and child with three angels:

the “benson madonna”, fra diamante
sold for:
378,000 USD

the man of sorrows, sandro botticelli,

1445
sold for:
45,419,700 USD
compelling pain:
PAINTING EMOTIONALITY IN BYZANTINE FRESCOES FROM
THE 12TH CENTURY AT ST. PANTELEIMON
by Grayson Wise

In 12th-century Byzantium, the Komnenian period, wall painting

underwent a shift that allowed emotionality to take center
stage in order to create a more compelling and connective
image. These liturgical images became much more dramatic,
heart-wrenching, or sometimes celebratory than what was
seen in previous centuries. One of the most important emo-
tions during this period was sorrow. Through the expansion of
the Passion cycle, middle Byzantine fresco artists were able to
include a wider range of emotion within their works. Many of
these works, specifically frescoes, are characterized by the
elongation of bodies, linear frameworks that highlight faces and
body segments, draped garments, and theatrical compositions.
This all aids the conveyance of deep, human emotion and
furthers the idea of emotionality being an important aspect to
12th-century painting.

The Church of St. Panteleimon at Nerezi is a prime example of

the stylistic shift in this middle Byzantine period. The extensive
fresco cycle epitomizes this change, and it contains frescoes
that are not only individually emotionally driven but also interact
well with one another to create a more emotionally-charged
experience for the viewer. Two of the most sorrowful and
emotionally powerful preserved frescoes from the 12th-centu-
ry are at St. Panteleimon: Lamentation and Deposition. Howev-
er, what is perhaps even more spectacular is the combination
and interaction between the sorrowful and grieving frescoes
and those that are more celebratory or even anticipatory like
the Transfiguration. These three frescoes are of extreme impor-
tance for illustrating the intense emotional tension at Nerezi.
The Lamentation, Deposition, and Transfiguration are all inter-
twined with one another in a very through stylistic aspects as
well as placement within the church that helps reinforce liturgi-
cal parallels in a visual manner. In this church where emotion
takes precedence, the most prevalent message here is the
sorrow of not only Jesus’ suffering, but the humanness of the
situation—focusing on the grief of the Virgin to also convey this
pensive subject.
The intensity of gesture, facial expression, and body composi-
tion, which was accentuated during this time in Byzantine art,
is very evident at Nerezi. This is extremely important to the
overall emotionality displayed within the frescoes, but one
specific example of that is Lamentation. This fresco is very
successful at making a sorrowful scene that draws upon the
humanity and humility of Christ’s death and his mother’s grief.
The thick yet organic line work is extremely complex, and the
way in which it frames the bodies creates this almost melting
effect to the bodies. This melting effect is a result of the elon-
gation of figures bodies and the manneristic musculature that
develops a liquified figure devoid of naturalistic human quali-
ties. However, this repetitive linework and handling of the
figures also creates a sense of visual rhythms and movement
within the Church. This is a trademark of the Komnenian period
style of painting and so are the distinctive, exaggerated creas-
ing facial lines so apparent on the figures faces.

Facial and bodily distortion, like as seen in Lamentation, is

crucial to understanding the “psychological restlessness” of
the figures and for building scenic tension between each
figure. For example, the Virgin Mary’s face is wrought with
grief, with overdrawn eyebrows that tilt downwards, along with
her eyes and mouth. Whereas her jaw bones sharply sink into
her face, and combines with bold coloristic choices that further
emphasize this saddening, downward component of her ex-
pression. There is a masklike quality that has this forceful and
dynamic expression that is impossible to ignore. It necessi-
tates the viewer to see the sorrow and grief on her face.
St. John the Evangelist, whom grasps Jesus’ lifeless hand, also
has an emotionally wrought face. However, his is slightly more
softened, much more melancholy in a distant manner as op-
posed to Mary. This helps to highlight the differences in roles
here, between “mother” and the other, but nonetheless, it is a
saddened face that stares directly at the lifeless, yet content
body of Jesus. Lastly, in regards to facial distortion in the
Lamentation, one is surely meant to grasp this message of
sorrow and humanity quite easily with the death-stricken an-
gels above the central scene. These angels are more so hyster-
ical to represent the human quality of Jesus and the reality of
his death. It is the sense of doubt within these exaggerated
and almost caricature-like faces that is important and infuses
emotional energy in every figure. It shows that his fresco is
about making the audience feel something very deep and very
real.
Lamentation, 1164, Church of St. Panteleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia

Deposition, 1164, Church of St. Panteleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia

Again, the distortion of body positioning is important to the
emotional component, and it is successful because of this
visually liquified state. For example, St. John the Evangelist’s
body is so dramatically curved that it takes on this elegant,
archlike shape that leads the viewers eyes to the emotional
drama happening in the center between Mary and Jesus. Their
faces are so close together, to the point they somewhat over-
lap, that it gives this interlocked and unbreakable effect of the
two figures. It takes on this psychological and physical dimen-
sion that connects the two figures on a very human level of a
mother and son relationship, persuading the audience of the
reality of Jesus’ death.

Furthermore, and perhaps the most surprising element in

Lamentation is the way in which Mary holds her son, Jesus.
This even more so aids the suggestion that these two figures
are experiencing a very human, very real dilemma. She ap-
pears very desperate to hold onto her son’s life, and her em-
brace is extremely affectionate and motherly. She looks very
human in this moment and with that, she is therefore stressing
to the audience the humanity of Christ and temporality of life
as a whole. This tight and all-encompassing embrace is sup-
posed to link itself to how Mary would have caressed and
cared for Jesus as a baby. This is a huge juxtaposition between
birth and death that is intensified in this scene, and this was
not something that would have been present in fresco cycles
or other forms of painting before the 12th-century.

Lamentation deals with ideas of divinity versus temporality for

Christ by using his mother as the centerpiece of human doubt
and grief. It also uses these exaggerated Komnenian forms to
emphasize this emotional distress as well as uses theatrical
background elements to build an immersive environment. This
is only one part of the fresco narrative at Nerezi, but it is one
that is highly important. The Lamentation’s presence and place-
ment in this church as a whole is also of great importance
because of its interactions with the other frescoes. Though it
may not be inherently apparent, the Lamentation is the central
component to this church’s decorative program. Without it,
there would the juxtaposition between the sorrow also present
in the Deposition with the joy in the Transfiguration would be
less successful.
It is important to note that the Deposition and the Lamentation
are positioned right next to one another, connected to one
another at the corner of the west and north walls in the Naos.
It is easy to see that the Deposition is also a very emotional
image that has the intention of being very emotionally charged
to its viewer. After all, the viewer is seeing Jesus’ dead body
being removed from the cross. The virgin Mary is standing right
next to her son, and his body folds over in a way that feels as if
the upper part of his body is separated from the lower part still
attached to the cross. Just as in the Lamentation, Mary and
Christ’s heads are so close that they overlap one another—
again, symbolizing this tender and loving motherly relationship.
She also embraces Jesus similarly to the Lamentation, but in
the case of the Deposition it feels less of a desperate attempt
to hold onto her son’s life and more so as a way to keep him
from completely tearing in two as he is taken down from the
cross. It dramatizes this action of her holding her son, and
though the embrace was not necessarily new in Byzantine art,
it being used to convey intense grief is a middle Byzantine
development. There is still a sense of deep sorrow in this
image, with the melancholy looks of all the figures in this
fresco, even with Nicodemus as he removes the nails from
Jesus’ feet. Mary’s overall demeanor is important to note as
well, but it still acts differently than the Lamentation because
it is a seen more focused on Christ’s vulnerability.

Therefore, its positioning next to the Lamentation makes the

scene emotionally complete. These are two extremely intense
images that emulate some aspect of Christ’s death, the hu-
manity of it, his mother’s grief, and Christ’s own vulnerability
throughout the whole process. It is a harmonious representa-
tion of human intimacy at a very climactic moment in the
Passion. Mary’s presence and her undoubtable grief is visual
proof of Christ’s human sacrifice, therefore in these moments
after Christ has died, it shows that he truly did die on the cross.
Though he is the son of God, he still died in a truly human way.
However, these two sorrowful images are not only placed
together to heighten the solemnity of the death of Jesus but to
also be an even more powerful tool to juxtapose other frescoes
in the church, such as the Transfiguration.
Transfiguration, 1164, Church of St. Panteleimon, Nerezi, Macedonia
The Transfiguration acts in an opposite manner than either of
these two frescoes. It is the moment where Christ fulfills the
Old Testament and is able to fully assume his divine state as
the son of God. However, its juxtaposition with the other two
discussed frescoes, creates “spatial parallelism” that helps to
visualize this scene of divinity that could only be realized
through human suffering. The iconography and overall handling
of the it is quite traditional; it is very symmetrical, with Christ
being in the center and other figures and elements surrounding
him on the sides and even at the bottom of the fresco. There
are two angels floating by Christ’s sides with three apostles at
the bottom sides and center of the fresco, bowing and looking
to Jesus in reverence.

The level of emotionality is still present in the Transfiguration,

but it is obviously much more focused simply on the dramatiza-
tion of the mind-boggling, mystical event at hand. Though
Christ’s face is lost, the three apostles at the foot of the rolling
hills on both sides and the center of the fresco emulate this
well. Their facial expressions showcase a quiet admiration,
whereas it does not feel as if this was a shocking or unexpect-
ed event for the apostles to witness. They seem to be content
and not overly emotional, but this is okay because it is a time
of revelation and showcasing the apostles’ selves as faithful
and believing people. It is a further signifier of their belief in
Christ and his divinity because of their reaction to the holy and
majestic scene.

This scene as a signifier of working faith is also worth noting.

The way in which the Transfiguration is depicted with the
apostles—these first proclaimers of Christ and his teaching—is
significant to the successfulness of other frescoes at St. Pan-
teleimon. There are many life-size figures of the clergy and so
forth, that look like very pious and devout people. They are
visualizations of the work of the church, so to speak, and they
surround the walls of the church, showcasing their environ-
mental importance to Nerezi. These church members are the
physical beings meant to enact the teachings of the Christian
church, to teach the liturgy. The job of the church is to do the
liturgy, and this can only be carried out through the visual
representations at Nerezi. It is amplifying what we see depict-
ed on the walls above in the Passion cycle.
Therefore, the careful attention placed on the emotions of the
figures within these frescoes is crucial to creating a spiritually
real environment. This does not imply that the depiction of
figures and handling of other elements needs to be done
through realism. The reality that is sought is through a psycho-
logical push that allows for one to be connected and believe
the events and happenings that are portrayed within the fres-
coes. The Transfiguration’s depiction of the apostles faces is a
well-thought element meant to increase its effectiveness in
appealing to sentiments of the human psyche.

St. Panteleimon is meant to evoke a reaction from the viewer,

and it does so through the frescoes themselves as well as
their placement. Much of St. Panteleimon uses juxtaposing
images that create a didactic spatial relation that actually ac-
centuates the emotional elements of the frescoes. Again, the
Lamentation and the Deposition amplify Mary’s sorrow and the
vulnerability of Christ, and their positioning together allows this
to happen. On the other side of this, the juxtaposition between
the Transfiguration and such other scenes also allow for emo-
tional amplification, and when this relationship is repeated
throughout the sanctuary, it further unifies the frescoes in their
message to the viewer. Many of St. Panteleimon’s frescoes
work in pairs or small groups to obtain these direct connec-
tions and correlations between frescoes, therefore not limited
to only three. As seen through the Lamentation, Deposition,
and the Transfiguration, this is a successful method that gets
the viewer to be emotionally involved in a deeper and more
connected way. This is something that would not have hap-
pened quite so easily in churches from previous centuries, and
it shows the development happening in the 12th-century,
specifically at Nerezi.
Bibliography

Andreopoulos, Andreas. Metamorphosis: The Transfiguration in Byzantine Theology and

Iconography. St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2005.

Kitzinger, Ernst. “The Byzantine Contribution to Western Art of the Twelfth and Thirteenth
Centuries.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 20 (1966): 25. doi:10.2307/1291241.

Maguire, Henry. “The Depiction of Sorrow in Middle Byzantine Art.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers
31 (1977): 123. doi:10.2307/1291406.

Mathews, Thomas F. Byzantium: From Antiquity to the Renaissance. Yale University Press,
2010.

Mouriki, Doula. “Stylistic Trends in Monumental Painting of Greece during the Eleventh and
Twelfth Centuries.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 34 (1980): 77. doi:10.2307/1291449.

Sinkević, Ida. The Church of St. Panteleimon at Nerezi: Architecture, Programme, Patronage.
Reichert Verlag, 2000.
the

Uffizi Diffusi project
and tourists behavior towards art
by Jenna Purvis

Going to see a painting just to see a famous painting just

because you just think you should is a very popular mentality
of tourists. My dad for example drags his feet and will continu-
ously complain if I want to go into an art museum while travel-
ing; that is unless a famous painting he thinks he should see is
present at said museum, then he will go without complaint.
This attitude surrounding art where artworks are famous just
because someone decided it was more worth seeing than
other artworks is not a sustainable mindset for the future of
tourism in museums, especially with the consideration of
overtourism.

The Uffizi Museum has created the “Uffizi Diffusi” project that
was set to begin in 2021. The objective of this project is to
prevent overtourism in the museum, as well as in Florence,
and for the more popular works of art in the museum to not
overshadow the rest of their collection. Tourists, who are not
local to Italy, will typically congregate to the more famous
pieces the museum has to offer such as Bottecelli’s Birth of
Venus, Titian’s Venus of Urbino, and Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo,
or The Holy Family. While all of these pieces are great works of
art, there is still an entire museum filled with other great art-
works that many tourists may ignore or speed past just to see
the more well known artworks.
This comes to the forefront when comparing the two types of
tourists that come to the museum, local tourists and the previ-
ously mentioned international tourists. According to the CDC
Travel, local tourists typically visit museums in order to see
works from locations relevant to their hometowns. Internation-
al tourists create an issue for local tourists when the more
famous artworks that international tourists flock to are given a
precedence over the artworks a local tourist may visit to see. If
a local tourist comes to the Uffizi to see one particular piece
and it is not available for viewing then not only have they wast-
ed their time traveling to the museum, but they contribute the
extensive overtourism the museum experiences. Part of the
Uffizi Diffusi project aims to return works of art to their original
Italian towns. This way locals, or local organizations that hold
works from the Uffizi, would be able to control how available
the artwork is displayed to the public that desires to see it. This
also turns the Uffizi museum into many widely dispersed
museums throughout Italy. Florence would also benefit from
the Uffizi Diffusi project as the overtourism that is prevalent
throughout the city would most likely lessen due to the draw
of the Uffizi to tourists.

in the Uffizi Gallery

Woman Peering at Painting in the Uffizi

On the other hand, these artworks that will no longer be resid-

ing at the Uffizi’s primary location in Florence may not be seen
by as many people. The Uffizi will still need tourists, so they
would most likely keep their most well known artworks as
removing their most famous paintings would not bode well for
the future of the museum. The international tourist will most
likely just continue to return to the Uffizi for the more well
known works just as they always had. While the local tourists
may get to experience the art they personally desire to see
from the Uffizi, overtourism surrounding international tourists
may not change as drastically as desired by the heads of the
project.

In conclusion, while the Uffizi Diffusi project will overall help

with tourism concerning local tourists, international tourists will
most likely continue to be an issue as long as the museum
keeps its more famous works. Although more artworks the
Uffizi offers will be able to be seen outside of these more
famous artworks shadows, tourists will still want to see those
more famous works. There is no perfect solution to overtour-
ism, but every bit of effort is a step in the right direction.
FOR
FOR INQUIRIES CONTACT GRAYSON WISE:
FOR INQUIRIES CONTACT GRAYSON WISE:
INQUIRIES CONTACT GRAYSON WISE:
graysonwise@ou.edu | 918.721.4681