History of Marriage Icon

Ventzislav Piriankov is an artist, who from the beginning of his artistic path was inspired by icons. This is mainly due to its origin, as he grew up and raised in Orthodox Bulgaria. From an early age was fascinated by the beauty of Byzantine art manifested in the architecture and design of Orthodox churches. The heart of every Orthodox churche, however, are icons. They influenced the future artist with their beauty, dignity, spirituality and precision.
During communism in Bulgaria religion was officially banned, but the art of icon never died. Even before passing exams to the Art High School, Piriankov became fascinated by icons. He performed with passion precise copies, then used the elements of icons in his paintings. He painted figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary as well as faces in the states of contemplation. To this day, one of the most admired themes and elements in Piriankov paintings are eyes. After some time appeared dual faces theme - symbolizing unity and perfection of male and female relationship. Thus was born the theme oh Marital Icons - or Marriage Icons. It began to live in the shelter of many houses. Continuing the tradition of icon, there was created the basic model, canon. Following it, Piriankov paints next Marriage Icons, interpreting them according to his own artistic vision. One of these icons has gained particular importance, as it has become the icon of THE ENCOUNTERS OF MARRIED COUPLES, consecrated by archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, metropolitan archbishop of Poznań, at the 11th International Convention of the Animators of the Encounters of Married Couples held in Poznań in Poland in 2005.

http://www.spotkaniamalzenskie.pl/en/charism-and-mission-in-church/icon 

MARRIAGE ICON - first, symbolic picture painted by Ventzislav Piriankov on July 12, 2013 at his villa in the Bulgarian village Staro Zhelezare. This unique work is created in vintage style, on the more than 100 years old lid of a wine barrel, used for decades by the Piriankov family. Interestingly, the lineage of the word ‘vintage’ refers just to the wine - produced in a single season. As befits a vintage style, newly constructed Marriage Icon combines outstanding quality of an object less susceptible to damage, which the passage of time gives nobility. It combines styles of different eras in an avant-garde way - a contemporary painting with the old unique object. This is an excellent blend of modern, avant-garde, with respect to the tradition - also by cultivating a canon of Marriage Icon developed by Ventzi over the last few years of his art-work.