Dear All,
Last Night in los Angeles a very interesting lecture/presentation was organized by the local Bolsahay Organization;
“Armenian Painting, From the Beginning to the Present”.
The guest was the author herself, Mayda Saris. The lecture was based on the recently published English translation of the book authored by her with the same title. The publisher is AGOS of Bolis, the editor Hrant Dink, (the same distinguished Hrant Dink who has been in the headlines recently out of Turkey).
She is an art consultant and a researcher-writer, born in Bolis, a “rising star”, in her very early 50’s (my estimate).
Quoting from the inside back cover, she writes:
” The fact that these painters- of mostly Anatolian origin- had been unknown in their own country, despite the broad reputation they acquired abroad, was quite deploring. Extirpating this contradiction and filling a historical gap was obviously an irrefutable acknowledgement due to Armenians from Turkey. Thus, as a researcher who has been closely concerned with art-painting, in particular-and history, and who has desired to reanimate the spirit of Armenia art and culture, I have found myself delving into a pile of books written in French, English, Russian, and Armenian. The rich heritage that I have witnessed, whilst advancing through a time tunnel accompanied by some odors from the decaying papers of books, magazines and documents in the dusty archives, was an outstanding indicator of the close ties that have bonded the Armenian community with art.”
The book 264 pages, is very beautifully illustrated with about 400 pictures. The lecture includes a slide presentation and an expert’s delivery. Very impressive.
In the next few days, she is touring the US and Canada taking her to Detroit, Chicago, Boston, New York Montreal and probably more. I strongly recommend for you to attend the lecture (please consult your local calendars for dates and locations). I let her presentation be the best advocate for you to add the book to your collection after studying the content.
The contents include:
Introduction
Historic Background
The Outlook.
Rock Carvings on the Armenian Plateau and Painting in Ancient Armenia
The Early products: Rock Carvings
Antiquity.
Armenian Miniature Art
The Great Master of Miniature: Toros Roslin
The Second Peak of Miniature Art: Sarkis Bidzak (The Wasp).
16th – 18th Centuries
The Modern Era
The First Representative of Modernism: Hovnatanian
Aivazovsky and the Generation of Marine Paiters
Two Masters of the Transition Period: Atamian and Bashinjaghian
The Historical Compositions
One a Master of Landscapes, the Other Documenting History: Terlemezian and Fetvajian
Two Original Painters: Aghajanian and Totossian
The Indepedents: Ardzatbanian, Nazarian and Khojabekian
At the Threshold of the 20th Century
A Painter from Kayseri: Seraylian
A Master of Engraving: Edgar Shahin
A woman Painter from Diyaebakir: Zabel Boyajian
A Master of Still Life: Pushman
Three Painters in Egypt
Two Landscape Painters, One Philosopher
Organizations, Groupings and Painters
An Eccentric: Khachadourian
Another Painter from Harput: Shishmanian
The First Half of the 20th Century
Armenian Painters in Ottoman Capital
Palatine Painters
Aivazovsky in the Ottoman Palace
The Other Palatine Painters
Exhibitions in Istanbul
The School of Fine Arts
An Istanbul Romantic
Founder of Ottoman Sculpture: Yervant Oskan
Miscellaneous Exhibitions
A View of Contemporary Armenian Painting
Three Leading Figures of Contemporary Painting
The New Image
The 1950s and Two Tendencies
Institute of Fine Arts in Erevan
The Resurgence of the 1960s
Painting in Diaspora
A Peak: Arshile Gorky
Colour Revelry in Diaspora
One As Destitute As His Name: Gharibian
Armenian Painters in Contemporary Turkish Painting
The book ends with a rich Acknowledgment; An alphabetic listing of Armenian Painters; References: Encyclopedia and Biographic Dictionaries, Annuals, Books, Journals, Exhibition and Auction Catalogues. (This section alone is a witness for how the Armenian communities and their activities were at the edge of Modernism of their times, not to mention the painters and their paintings).
This caliber of works are multifaceted contributions in Armenian Studies and Arts. In the present charged-up environment in international affairs, the work and her place of publishing brings an added dimension…
Parivayloom!
Mark CHENIAN.
Yorumlar kapatıldı.