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ARMENIA AND LEBANON, HAND IN HAND
By Chirine Lahoud
The Daily Star
Sept 12 2012
Lebanon
BEIRUT: Burj Hammoud's Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery was
founded in 2009 as a platform for Armenian and Lebanese art and
cultural production. Since then the space has exhibited works by many
artists from both communities.
HLTAG has chosen Wadi Abu Jmeel's Villa Zein as the venue for its
latest collective exhibition, "Lipanan" ("Lebanon" in Armenian),
featuring paintings and sculptures by such artists as Raffi Tokatlian,
Hrair, Charles Khoury, Arthur K. and Mireille Goguikian, to name but
a few.
Here onlookers will find a large selection of work, ranging from
abstraction to surrealism.
Based on their titles, "Charles Aznavour" and "Pavarotti," two mixed
media-on-canvas works by Haroutiun K. Nicolian (aka Arthur K.), are
tributes to the Armenian-born French vocalist and the Italian tenor.
Both works bear respectful renderings of each performer. Viewers
will also find bits that don't bear much relation to either Aznavour
or Pavarotti.
The upper part of the collage-like "Charles Aznavour" (100x65 cm) is
a still from Peter Webber's film "Girl with Pearl Earring" (inspired
by Vermeer's painting). To one side of it is a fragment of a woman's
photo. To the other is the phrase "Human Rights," written in Latin
capitals against a parchment-shaded background.
Immediately below a photo of Aznavour in concert, a shard of red-tinted
sheet music bears an unknown tune. Alongside is a photo of a stallion,
in blue.
"Pavarotti" includes a photo of a black man with large white stripes
painted on his chest. Nearby is a shred of a document apparently
dealing with Armenian history. The link between these images and
Pavarotti is vague.
An interesting palette accentuates the decorative value of Arthur K.'s
work. From red, to blue, black and gold, these works are attractive
to the eye. Although dark hues are omnipresent, the artist's works
radiate light.
"Awakening" - a bronze sculpture by Raffi Tokatlian - is astonishing
both for its dimensions (190x55x242 cm) and its symbolism.
The apparently female figure is blindfolded. Her body is formed from
bronze strips, resembling folds of clothing. Most interesting is the
contrast between the light - almost ethereal - aspect these strips
lend the body and the bronze head's weight.
Arev Petrosyan's mixed-media work "Emotions" (140x92cm) finds gold and
silver leaves painted on organic glass. This work includes several
red and black blotches, which seem to emerge from the ground. These
could be representations of roses or poppies, with odd-looking mouths.
Jacqueline Ohanian's "Messengers of Peace" (mixed-media, 105x105cm)
is also highly symbolic. The work combines warm hues - oranges,
yellows and hints of red - with white.
The white bits are evidently doves (peace) or perhaps a single dove in
movement. Above the dove motif are depictions of two (or more) peoples'
heads. One figure gazes down, as if following the bird's movement.
There is no obviously programmatic meaning to be ascribed to Ohanian's
depiction of peace and its messengers. The artist's design intention
appears decorative.
Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery's "Lipanan" is up at Wadi
Abu Jmeel's Villa Zein until Sept. 16. For more information, please
call 01-241-262.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Art/2012/Sep-12/187551-armenia-and-lebanon-hand-in-hand.ashx#axzz26DSzxKVN
From: A. Papazian
By Chirine Lahoud
The Daily Star
Sept 12 2012
Lebanon
BEIRUT: Burj Hammoud's Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery was
founded in 2009 as a platform for Armenian and Lebanese art and
cultural production. Since then the space has exhibited works by many
artists from both communities.
HLTAG has chosen Wadi Abu Jmeel's Villa Zein as the venue for its
latest collective exhibition, "Lipanan" ("Lebanon" in Armenian),
featuring paintings and sculptures by such artists as Raffi Tokatlian,
Hrair, Charles Khoury, Arthur K. and Mireille Goguikian, to name but
a few.
Here onlookers will find a large selection of work, ranging from
abstraction to surrealism.
Based on their titles, "Charles Aznavour" and "Pavarotti," two mixed
media-on-canvas works by Haroutiun K. Nicolian (aka Arthur K.), are
tributes to the Armenian-born French vocalist and the Italian tenor.
Both works bear respectful renderings of each performer. Viewers
will also find bits that don't bear much relation to either Aznavour
or Pavarotti.
The upper part of the collage-like "Charles Aznavour" (100x65 cm) is
a still from Peter Webber's film "Girl with Pearl Earring" (inspired
by Vermeer's painting). To one side of it is a fragment of a woman's
photo. To the other is the phrase "Human Rights," written in Latin
capitals against a parchment-shaded background.
Immediately below a photo of Aznavour in concert, a shard of red-tinted
sheet music bears an unknown tune. Alongside is a photo of a stallion,
in blue.
"Pavarotti" includes a photo of a black man with large white stripes
painted on his chest. Nearby is a shred of a document apparently
dealing with Armenian history. The link between these images and
Pavarotti is vague.
An interesting palette accentuates the decorative value of Arthur K.'s
work. From red, to blue, black and gold, these works are attractive
to the eye. Although dark hues are omnipresent, the artist's works
radiate light.
"Awakening" - a bronze sculpture by Raffi Tokatlian - is astonishing
both for its dimensions (190x55x242 cm) and its symbolism.
The apparently female figure is blindfolded. Her body is formed from
bronze strips, resembling folds of clothing. Most interesting is the
contrast between the light - almost ethereal - aspect these strips
lend the body and the bronze head's weight.
Arev Petrosyan's mixed-media work "Emotions" (140x92cm) finds gold and
silver leaves painted on organic glass. This work includes several
red and black blotches, which seem to emerge from the ground. These
could be representations of roses or poppies, with odd-looking mouths.
Jacqueline Ohanian's "Messengers of Peace" (mixed-media, 105x105cm)
is also highly symbolic. The work combines warm hues - oranges,
yellows and hints of red - with white.
The white bits are evidently doves (peace) or perhaps a single dove in
movement. Above the dove motif are depictions of two (or more) peoples'
heads. One figure gazes down, as if following the bird's movement.
There is no obviously programmatic meaning to be ascribed to Ohanian's
depiction of peace and its messengers. The artist's design intention
appears decorative.
Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery's "Lipanan" is up at Wadi
Abu Jmeel's Villa Zein until Sept. 16. For more information, please
call 01-241-262.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Art/2012/Sep-12/187551-armenia-and-lebanon-hand-in-hand.ashx#axzz26DSzxKVN
From: A. Papazian