Biography

Andrei Zharov

Pavel Zharov, a professional architect and iconographer, founded Zharov Studio in Minsk, Belarus in 1975. In 1997 he headed a school for iconography in the Minsk Diocese. After receiving Master Degrees from The Saint Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary’s Faculty of Iconography and from The St. Tikhon University’s Faculty of Sacred Arts (Moscow, Russia), Pavel’s son Andrei Zharov joined his father at Zharov Studio. Also Andrei Zharov teaches at The Saint Petersburg Theological Academy (Faculty of iconography) in Russia.

Both are members of the Artistic and Architectural Council of the Minsk Diocese.

His son, Andrei Zharov (born in 1980 in Minsk, Belarus) is the follower of Pavel’s artistic tradition of Russian Byzantine icon painting. Formed by the world-renowned Russian masters – Valentina Zhdanova and Father Nicolai Chernyshov, he holds a Master Degree from The Saint Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary’s Faculty of Iconography and a Master Degree from The St. Tikhon’s University’s Faculty of Sacred Arts (Moscow, Russia).

Icons of Zografos Studio are created in the strict respect of authentic traditional techniques: wax tempera, egg tempera and encaustics. The Studio was appointed to restore churches of Belarusian heritage of the 12th – 15th century according to scientific specifications.

Transmission of their knowledge holds an important place in their activity. Zografos Studio offers Iconography Classes/Workshops in English and Russian. Techniques used and thought by Pavel and Andrei introduce students to unique professional methods, used by iconographers from the early Christian period.