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Gem in the Rough: The Appreciation of Armenian Art

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  • Gem in the Rough: The Appreciation of Armenian Art

    Gem in the Rough: The Appreciation of Armenian Art

    http://www.asbarez.com/2009/08/07/a-gem-in-th e-rough-the-appreciation-of-armenian-art/
    By Contributor on Aug 7th, 2009

    BY JEAN MURACHANIAN

    For the last decade or so, the number of art galleries in Southern
    California has been steadily growing. A notable addition to the group
    is Stephanie's Fine Art Gallery, a bold and innovative gallery
    specializing in Armenian art. Beyond its unique emphasis on Armenian
    art, Stephanie's is particularly distinctive because of the vision of
    its founder and owner, Linda Stepanyan.

    Stepanyan opened the gallery ten years ago, because she wanted to
    bring her appreciation of Armenian art to a wider audience.
    Stepanyan's goal is to not only assist Armenian customers in their
    purchases of Armenian art, but perhaps more importantly to bring the
    world of Armenian art to the attention of non-Armenians. As Stepanyan
    herself says, `when other nations appreciate Armenian art it makes me
    proud of what I am doing.... It makes me happy and gives me more
    motivation.'

    Stepanyan's keen eye and personal preference has led her to focus the
    gallery's collection on modern and contemporary art created by artists
    of Armenian descent, sourced from an extensive network of dealers
    located throughout Europe. In terms of the modern period (or what
    Stepanyan refers to as the `classical' period of Armenian art), the
    gallery includes work by Armenian artists working in Europe or
    Istanbul from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.

    Artists in this category include such well-known names as Jean Carzou,
    Jean Jansem, Hovsep Pushman, and Edgar Chahine. Other artists
    represented in the gallery's collection include Léon Tutundjian,
    Arsène Chabanian, Ohannès Alhazian, and Sarkis Diranian.
    Contemporary artists represented include those of Armenian descent
    living in the United States - primarily Los Angeles, with many hailing
    originally from Armenia, the Soviet Union or the Middle East - or
    Europe, including such contemporary artists as Koko, Emil Kazaz,
    Galust Grigoryan, and Sasho.

    This dual focus on contemporary and more modern/`classical' art by
    artists of Armenian descent helps the gallery more easily bridge the
    gap between the two periods. For instance, when customers come in
    looking for work produced by better-known artists from the modern
    period, such as Carzou and Jansem, Stepanyan takes the opportunity to
    educate them about the work being produced by contemporary Armenian
    artists, as well as perhaps lesser-known artists of the modern period.
    Stepanyan argues that there are many contemporary (and modern)
    Armenian artists who, though perhaps not well-known, have nonetheless
    produced brilliant works that, like gems waiting to be discovered,
    deserve to be appreciated and collected. She points to the example of
    Vincent van Gogh, who was unknown during his lifetime but, as we are
    all undoubtedly aware, now commands record prices affordable to none
    but the wealthy art collector or well-endowed museum.

    Stephanie's customer base is comprised of both Armenians and
    non-Armenians. Many of the non-Armenian clients are in the movie
    industry in Los Angeles and are, ironically, generally well-informed
    about art and appreciate the work of modern artists Chahine, Pushman,
    and Carzou. Stepanyan was thrilled recently to offer one of her
    customers a refrigerator panel painted by Carzou in 1958 that was
    originally part of a charity fundraising exhibition in Paris organized
    by the Galerie Carpentier. The exhibition, titled `The Nobility of
    the Everyday Object,' comprised ten refrigerators, each painted by
    different well-known French artists, including Salvador Dali, Jean
    Cocteau, Bernard Buffet, Georges Mathieu, and Léonor Fini. The
    exhibition was described by Cocteau as `a victory over the negative
    style of emptiness.' By way of example, Stepanyan suggests that a
    panel from this series painted by Carzou would normally sell for
    several thousand dollars, while one created by Buffet could cost as
    much as $200,000.

    The existence of galleries such as Stephanie's can clearly have a
    meaningful impact on the recognition of art created by artists of
    Armenian descent. They educate the general public about Armenian art
    and culture and provide a much-needed forum for up-and-coming
    contemporary artists. In expanding the awareness of Armenian art to a
    wider audience, such galleries serve to bolster its value within the
    broader art community.

    Stepanyan's observations suggest that such value goes beyond its price
    or the accessibility it affords or denies to potential patrons. Not
    surprisingly, lesser-known pieces are relatively more affordable,
    while that affordability nonetheless seldom makes them more attractive
    to purchasers. There is some evidence, however, that non-Armenian
    patrons are also more open to new or lesser-known artists, including
    those of Greek and Russian decent, whose art and culture have
    traditionally received more active local support.

    There is perhaps no better way to improve on this trend than by
    actively supporting the production - and enjoyment - of Armenian art.
    After all, there is nothing like seeing and appreciating the real
    thing, by spending time in one of the numerous galleries and venues
    that feature the works of artists of Armenian descent, both in and
    outside of Southern California.

    All Rights Reserved: Critics' Forum, 2009. Exclusive to the Armenian
    Reporter.

    Jean Murachanian holds a Ph.D. in Art History from UCLA.

    You can reach her or any of the other contributors to Critics' Forum
    at [email protected]. This and all other articles published
    in this series are available online at www.criticsforum.org. To sign
    up for a weekly electronic version of new articles, go to
    www.criticsforum.org/join. Critics' Forum is a group created to
    discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the Diaspora.
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