IT ALL went wrong when Oleg Ikona staged his last exhibition.
Protesters burst into the gallery and threw purple dye on to his art. That was in St Petersberg where Ikona was living at the time and what had angered some people was the nature of his art.
He creates icons, works associated with religious images and much venerated by the faithful over the centuries.
They were particularly worshipped in Russia where the exhibition vandals saw his updating of the icon as almost blasphemy.
Eventually Ukraine-born Ikona, his wife Irina and son Ivan, 21, fled and arrived in Britain to seek political asylum.
The Home Office, he says, suggested he located himself to Liverpool.
It was a happy choice for the family. Ikona reports they have been given a good welcome and he has been able to carry on his art.
Last night he opened his first exhibition at the View Two Gallery in Mathew Street, featuring the icons which had so angered the Russians, with evidence of the gallery outrage - traces of purple dye - still on some of the art work.
Ikona has taken the icon in a new direction, not only creating icons of figures from popular culture rather than religion but adding some hi-tech gadgetry. He has also made a new icon for Liverpool, celebrating the Beatles.
The Beatles take the centre of the portrait surrounded by pictures of real saints that are delicately painted and set in gold leaf.
