NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

10/1/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- One of the earliest forms of Christian expression will be on display in an exhibit by Diamantis Cassis which will be on display at Northwestern State University through November 6th in the Orville G. Hanchey Art Gallery. The gallery is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Cassis will lecture on his work Monday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. The lecture and exhibit are free and open to the public.

Cassis, a 1959 graduate of Northwestern in art education, is one of America's principal Byzantine iconographers. He taught art in Houston for more than 40 years before retiring last year. Cassis now works on his iconography full-time.

"Iconography expresses the theology of the early church," said Cassis. "It is not only for decoration or for esthetics, but mainly for the purpose of inspiration in the same way as the expression of the church hymnology and church architecture.

According to Cassis, iconography is created differently than contemporary secular art.

"Art is an expression of the individual and the influence of his environment and perhaps a type of mirror of his time," he said. "The expression of the Icon is not a reflection of any particular period. It is an expression of the Old Testament and New Testament scripture and the theology and life of the church. Iconography is not art for art's sake, but art with the purpose of edification of the faithful."

Cassis said the figures in iconography do not have visually realistic features, but abstracted to a certain extent to look other worldly and spiritual.

"When you look at the face, the eyes are little larger than normal to look as though they have gazed upon God and are in awe," he said. "There are no mundane expressions such as a smile, frown or anger. They are very austere as if in constant prayer. The noses are long and thin to show dignity. The ears are large and the mouth is small to show humility indicating a person should listen more and speak less."

A native of Galaxidion, Greece, Cassis' family moved to Shreveport when he was 11. He began noticing the art in the church his family attended and became interested in it. Over the years, Cassis began obtaining some of the books and copies of ancient guides to icons. These guides were handwritten by icon paiters for the instruction of their students in the earliest days of the Christian church and later re-copied by monks and finally printed.

"I read several of the guides, some written in Greek and Russian and translated in English. I was very fascinated with them." said Cassis. "Studying iconography was a slow, exciting process that began in the 1960s."

Cassis produces iconography in the traditional Byzantine style in painted icons ranging from sets for the iconostasia of churches to single panels of all sizes. In addition to painted icons, Cassis specializes in hand-tooled metal icons in copper and brass. These metal icons, exhibiting intricate detail in low relief, are used as panel icons as well as being incorporated into processional and blessing crosses and liturgical banners.

His work has been exhibited at the Biblical Arts Center of Dallas, the University of St Thomas in Houston, St. Mary's University in San Antonio, The State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., the Galveston County Historical Museum, and the St. John the Divine Invitational Art Exhibition in Houston. He exhibited and lectured in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1990 as a result of a grant from the Hawaii Committee of the Humanities. He has also lectured at the University of Houston, University of St. Thomas in Houston, Amarillo Art Center, Biblical Art Center of Dallas, Rosenberg Library of Galveston and numerous Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches. Cassis has been the subject of major features in Houston and Dallas newspapers. He is presently painting the icons for Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church of Austin.

Cassis was a ROTC cadet at Northwestern. He went into the military after graduating and was in the Army Reserves for 28 years. Cassis taught briefly in Bossier City, then moved to Houston.

His exhibit will also include secular work he created including some done while he was in college.

Main Menu