The Byzantine Series is a pop culture art series that relies on the ancient art form to re-imagine a few iconic characters including Gandolf the Grey from 'Lord of the Rings', Walter White from 'Breaking Bad' and even Link from 'The Legend of Zelda.' All of these character have resonated in some shape or form as heroes in the eyes of audiences everywhere, so the series depicts them as just that.
Illustrated by Fotis Varthis, a painter, engraver and digital artist based in Athens, Greece, The Byzantine Series was initially born out of a mistake. He writes, "For me this concept of illustrating known -fantasy- characters in Byzantine way began as a mistake when I was trying to draw a prophet and the face reminded me of Saruman!" But he decided to experiment more to the delight of fans.
What's Driving This Trend
- Pop Culture Art
- By re-imagining iconic characters through ancient art forms, there is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the field of pop culture art.
- Byzantine Influence
- The utilization of Byzantine art in depicting popular characters opens up possibilities for innovation by merging historical and contemporary elements.
- Character Iconography
- Using iconic characters as subjects for art can lead to disruptive innovation in exploring the connection between pop culture and visual storytelling.
Who This Affects Most
- Art and Design
- The Byzantine Series showcases a unique approach to art that merges traditional and contemporary styles, presenting an opportunity for innovation in the art and design industry.
- Entertainment and Media
- The re-imagining of iconic characters in the Byzantine style provides an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating new forms of entertainment and media that blend historical and popular culture.
- Digital Art
- The use of digital techniques in creating the Byzantine Series highlights the potential for innovative advancements in the field of digital art, where traditional and modern art forms merge.
