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Al-Shorfa
Dec 1 2012
Raffi Yedalian looks at life with colour and character
2012-12-01 By Nohad Topalian in Beirut
Raffi Yedalian, a Lebanese artist and sculptor of Armenian origin, has
recently returned to the cultural scene with his second individual
exhibition, titled "A Glimpse of Life".
The exhibition, held in November at the Piece Unique Gallery in
central Beirut, showcased 32 paintings inspired by stages in
Yedalian's life that seek to reflect other people's experiences as
well.
Yedalian, who is also exhibiting a sculpture at the Vatican Museum,
which he presented to Pope Benedict XVI during his historic visit to
Lebanon, spoke with Al-Shorfa about his exhibition and beyond.
Al-Shorfa: Can you tell us about "A Glimpse of Life"?
Raffi Yedalian: "A Glimpse of Life" is the name of my second
individual exhibition, following the first one in 1992. In my current
exhibition, I present 32 paintings that have themes revolving around
stages of my life since childhood.
Through these paintings, which are from the figurism genre, I have
tried to embody my childhood memories and the subsequent stages [of my
life]. Even though "A Glimpse of Life" is inspired by my personal
experience, it also mirrors other people's lives.
Al-Shorfa: How so?
Yedalian: Through the themes of the paintings. In my childhood
painting, I deal with innocence. Every person is born innocent and
gradually moves on to another stage of their life where innocence
gradually fades away. Then a new stage begins where a person discovers
life, and all the different stages that stage has. For example, I
present the stages of love and marriage, family, motherhood, diversity
and co-existence. All these titles are stages in the lives of any
person no matter where they are.
Al-Shorfa: How do you deal with diversity and co-existence in your paintings?
Yedalian: As far as the subject of diversity goes, through painting, I
say in my own style that, at some point, we enter society and mix
[interact] with it. In society, every person has different
expressions, emotions and specialities. In the co-existence painting,
my goal is to say we should live together in this mix.
Al-Shorfa: Why does the colour grey dominate your paintings?
Yedalian: Because, like brown, it symbolises calmness. After working
for a long time with fiery colours, I found myself in the past three
years working with quiet colours. I do not know how long this stage
will last. I find myself in this phase for the time being.
Al-Shorfa: What is the philosophy in each painting?
Yedalian: It is a philosophy that has to do with how I look at life
and its relation to the otherworldly. I express that with a white line
present in all of my paintings. I consider this line to be the link
between earth and the heavens on the one hand, and on the other it is
the path of our lives.
Each person has a different path and life. This philosophy has a
connection with both white and grey, as the two symbolise happy days
and difficult ones. This is what I have expressed in the painting
"Circle of Life", in which I try to show how a person's face appears
throughout the seven days of the week.
Al-Shorfa: You had an experience with Pope Benedict XVI. Tell us about that?
Yedalian: During the pope's visit to Lebanon, he visited the Our Lady
of Bzommar Monastery for Catholic Armenians, which we consider a
historical event because it was the first time a pope visited the
monastery, which dates back to 1774.
I presented the pope with a bronze sculpture of the monk Hagop
Megabard. This year Armenians are celebrating 500 years since he
printed the first Armenian book -- "Friday Book" -- in 1512 in Venice.
This tribute [sculpture] is currently on exhibition as part of the
Vatican's art collection. I am proud of this accomplishment because I
am the first Armenian artist whose work is on display at the Vatican
Museum.
Al-Shorfa: As an artist of Armenian origins, you have a well-known
work of art exhibited in Armenia. Tell us about that.
Yedalian: In 2008, I did a painting called "Survivors' Testimonies"
that includes 301 fingerprints from Lebanese citizens of Armenian
descent. The painting is now on display at the Genocide Museum in the
Armenian capital Yerevan.
http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/2012/12/01/feature-02
Dec 1 2012
Raffi Yedalian looks at life with colour and character
2012-12-01 By Nohad Topalian in Beirut
Raffi Yedalian, a Lebanese artist and sculptor of Armenian origin, has
recently returned to the cultural scene with his second individual
exhibition, titled "A Glimpse of Life".
The exhibition, held in November at the Piece Unique Gallery in
central Beirut, showcased 32 paintings inspired by stages in
Yedalian's life that seek to reflect other people's experiences as
well.
Yedalian, who is also exhibiting a sculpture at the Vatican Museum,
which he presented to Pope Benedict XVI during his historic visit to
Lebanon, spoke with Al-Shorfa about his exhibition and beyond.
Al-Shorfa: Can you tell us about "A Glimpse of Life"?
Raffi Yedalian: "A Glimpse of Life" is the name of my second
individual exhibition, following the first one in 1992. In my current
exhibition, I present 32 paintings that have themes revolving around
stages of my life since childhood.
Through these paintings, which are from the figurism genre, I have
tried to embody my childhood memories and the subsequent stages [of my
life]. Even though "A Glimpse of Life" is inspired by my personal
experience, it also mirrors other people's lives.
Al-Shorfa: How so?
Yedalian: Through the themes of the paintings. In my childhood
painting, I deal with innocence. Every person is born innocent and
gradually moves on to another stage of their life where innocence
gradually fades away. Then a new stage begins where a person discovers
life, and all the different stages that stage has. For example, I
present the stages of love and marriage, family, motherhood, diversity
and co-existence. All these titles are stages in the lives of any
person no matter where they are.
Al-Shorfa: How do you deal with diversity and co-existence in your paintings?
Yedalian: As far as the subject of diversity goes, through painting, I
say in my own style that, at some point, we enter society and mix
[interact] with it. In society, every person has different
expressions, emotions and specialities. In the co-existence painting,
my goal is to say we should live together in this mix.
Al-Shorfa: Why does the colour grey dominate your paintings?
Yedalian: Because, like brown, it symbolises calmness. After working
for a long time with fiery colours, I found myself in the past three
years working with quiet colours. I do not know how long this stage
will last. I find myself in this phase for the time being.
Al-Shorfa: What is the philosophy in each painting?
Yedalian: It is a philosophy that has to do with how I look at life
and its relation to the otherworldly. I express that with a white line
present in all of my paintings. I consider this line to be the link
between earth and the heavens on the one hand, and on the other it is
the path of our lives.
Each person has a different path and life. This philosophy has a
connection with both white and grey, as the two symbolise happy days
and difficult ones. This is what I have expressed in the painting
"Circle of Life", in which I try to show how a person's face appears
throughout the seven days of the week.
Al-Shorfa: You had an experience with Pope Benedict XVI. Tell us about that?
Yedalian: During the pope's visit to Lebanon, he visited the Our Lady
of Bzommar Monastery for Catholic Armenians, which we consider a
historical event because it was the first time a pope visited the
monastery, which dates back to 1774.
I presented the pope with a bronze sculpture of the monk Hagop
Megabard. This year Armenians are celebrating 500 years since he
printed the first Armenian book -- "Friday Book" -- in 1512 in Venice.
This tribute [sculpture] is currently on exhibition as part of the
Vatican's art collection. I am proud of this accomplishment because I
am the first Armenian artist whose work is on display at the Vatican
Museum.
Al-Shorfa: As an artist of Armenian origins, you have a well-known
work of art exhibited in Armenia. Tell us about that.
Yedalian: In 2008, I did a painting called "Survivors' Testimonies"
that includes 301 fingerprints from Lebanese citizens of Armenian
descent. The painting is now on display at the Genocide Museum in the
Armenian capital Yerevan.
http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/2012/12/01/feature-02