In late October international artist Joni Zavitsanos gave the students of Fordham University’s Orthodox Christian Fellowship a walking tour of her gallery show at the Museum of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Art. The artist explained each piece in the show “Distant Relatives,” which runs through December 12th. The students were very curious about her modern take on the ancient Byzantine images, and they had a lively discussion about art, faith, and life. Some of the questions asked were: Is it appropriate to have these more modern images and why? Are we really all saints? and How can art be a vehicle for teaching people about faith and meaning in life? The art tour is mentioned on the student site here.
On November 19 this student group’s affiliate The Orthodox Christian Studies Center is hosting a panel session called “Orthodox Christianity, Sexual Diversity, and the Public Sphere.” it is a public event and part of the Fordham-Exeter “Bridging Voices” project. The reception after the session will be held at the gallery displaying Ms. Zavitsanos’ art. The panel moderator will be Aristotle Papanikolaou of Fordham University. The panelists are scheduled to be: Brandon Gallaher, University of Exeter; Very Reverend John Jillions, Orthodox Church in America; Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, New York University; and Gregory Tucker, University of Regensburg. Read more about the panel & reception here.