 |
| ikon culture |
| travels |
| ikon 1. a usually pictorial representation 2. a conventional religious image typically painted on a small wooden panel and used in the devotions of Eastern Christians 3. an object of uncritical devotion 4. an emblem or symbol 5. a sign whose form suggests meaning |
| I've always been fascinated by ikons. From those that we don't really notice on our Windows desktop, to the pictorial representations of men and women used to guide us into the right washroom, these symbols are part of popular culture and most transcend language barriers. Some are essentially a universal human language, understandable only by us, and by all of us, yet each with its own personal meaning. Others are kitsch, or religious propaganda but every one stands for something greater than the sum of its parts. All of my ikons are particular objects that have a story or remind me of some specific time in my life and most can only be found in one particular geographic location on earth. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Siem Reap, Cambodia. January 2005. A Buddha head. |
| Bangkok, Thailand. February 2005. A miniature Buddha statue or amulet, purchased at Wat Ratjanada and blessed by a monk. |
| Bangkok, Thailand. February 2005. A miniature Hindu god statue or amulet, purchased at Wat Ratjanada and blessed by a monk. |
| Bangkok, Thailand. February 2005. A miniature Buddha statue or amulet, purchased at Wat Ratjanada and blessed by a monk. |
| Anjuna, Goa, India. April 2005. A dancing Shiva statue I bought at the Wednesday Market. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Jeju-si, Jeju Island, South Korea. December 2003. A basalt rock carving dolhareubang statue. |
| Paper Village, Luang Prabang, Laos. February 2005. An antique opium pipe traded and used along the Silk Road from China. |
| Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. March 2005. A hand-carved female statue, purchased form a street artisan. |
| Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. March 2005. A hand-carved Ganesha (the Hindu elephant god) statue, purchased form a street artisan. |
| Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. April 2002. A red Buddha statue. |
| Beijing, China. December 2005. A replica terracotta warrior statue. |
| Paris, France. July 2005. A replica Eiffel tower statue.. |
| Buccharest, Romania. June 2005. An antique chinese dragon hand pressed out of tin, purchased from an antique shop. |
| Gangneung, South Korea. April 2004. Tibetan Buddhist hand-carved beads of the dead. Each hand carved bead is a tiny human skull. |
| Seoul, South Korea. June 2004. Buddhist prayer beads. |
| Beijing, China. December 2004. Mao-Tse Tung's 'Little Red Book' of quotes. Purchased from a vendor in Tianamen Square for 50 cents.. |