According to the Icon Museum and Study Center, “An icon is an image of a holy person or event created by an iconographer who follows the strict standards of the Orthodox Church.”

Peter D. Gerakaris, artist on view at BBG, and Kent dur Russell, Russian iconography scholar, will talk about their areas of expertise and then converse on what becomes the shared meaning between them on Friday, June 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. with a reception to follow. While showcasing many time-honored processes — such as Byzantine painting and gilding with gold leaf on panel — Peter’s artwork shifts our focus toward luminous images of the natural world. Motifs such as endangered flora and fauna are filtered through his artwork’s kaleidoscopic lens to create contemporary nature-based icons. In this lecture, he and Kent will explore iconography as it relates to traditional art history and the natural world.

Artist Peter Gerakaris’ show, “Microcosms,” is on view June 1 through Aug. 4, in the Leonhardt Gallery at BBG. Kent dur Russell is the founding director of the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass., and will discuss Byzantine and icon roots in broader and contemporary contexts.