Colours of the Sacrifice - Watercolour Passion Painting of Danylo Movchan

Abstract

Ukrainian-born Danylo Movchan is one of the most interesting contemporary artists working in the field of sacred art. His work derives from the art of the Eastern Church and ranges from icon painting through portraits to allegorical and mythological representations. Among his works, characterised by minimalism and the use of light backgrounds, works in watercolour stand out. Referring to the artist’s Passion representations, I present an interpretation of the works, analysing the formal techniques employed by Movchan, with particular reference to the way in which he uses water colours. I look successively at the depictions of the crucifixion, descent from the cross, lamentation and entombment. I address issues such as biblical history, dogma, the emotionality of the depictions and the relationship between Jesus and the viewer contemplating the image. In the text, I try to prove that in Movchan’s art, both iconography and the form of the artwork play an almost equal role in conveying events and scenes of a religious nature and reflections connected with them.