Hyper-Realistic Paintings Explore Artist’s Innate Quest for Creative Autonomy

The Armenian Museum of America recently announced the opening of its next contemporary art exhibition, Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s “Filtered Identity.” Tigran is a New York-based artist whose oversized photo-realistic paintings merge an interest in classical and modern art with an emphasis on his own experiences as a father and an immigrant. At first look, his artworks appear to be photographs, but the portraits are hyper-realistic oil paintings.

There will be an Opening Reception with the artist on Thursday, September 19 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

“We cannot wait for the community to experience this new exhibit in our contemporary art galleries. You will be amazed to see these giant works. Most people will assume they are photographs and be completely surprised that they are oil paintings!” says Executive Director Jason Sohigian. “Tigran is exhibiting all over the world and it is an honor to share his art in our galleries in Greater Boston. When his studio in Yerevan is open to the public, nearly a thousand people stream in on a single day to view these pieces.”

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s oversized photo-realistic paintings merge an interest in classical and modern art. Image credit: “Self-Isolation IV” (2022), 80" x 80", oil on canvas.

Tigran’s work has been exhibited widely including Art Basel Miami, Cube Art Fair in Times Square, and globally in cities such as Dubai, Singapore, Istanbul, Cannes, Zurich, Monaco, and Brussels.

“These breakout works have catapulted Tsitoghdzyan to A-list status as a portrait and multi-media artist. His high productivity has sustained his success in high-end markets across the globe—from prominent galleries and prestigious art fairs to major foundations, renowned auction houses, biennales, and festivals,” writes Laura L. Constantine in a profile for the AGBU Insider. “While the name Tsitoghdzyan may be impossible for most to pronounce, his works are impossible to ignore, as they bring a new dimension of intensity, intrigue, and insight to contemporary portraiture.”

“Filtered Identity” is curated by Ryann Casey. Ryann is a New Jersey-based artist and educator. She is an adjunct Professor of Photography, Art History and Critical Theory at Stockton University, and her current photographic and curatorial projects focus on themes of loss, trauma, and memory. 

“Filtered Identity” runs from September 19, 2024 to February 23, 2025 in the AMA’s third floor Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries.

For more information, visit www.armenianmuseum.org/tigran.The Armenian Museum of America is located at 65 Main Street, Watertown, MA, and the gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm.

Artscope: Treasures Unveiled in ‘Gandzaran!’ Present Contemporary View of Armenians Today

By Erica DeMatos, Artscope Magazine

The Armenian Museum of America, located in Watertown, not only contextualizes Armenia’s lengthy and turmoiled past, but it also presents a more contemporary view of Armenian people today. Treasures are unveiled in “Gandzaran! Notable Selections from our Collection,” threading generations of people together through modern interpretations of a shared culture. Shadows, carvings, etchings and textiles all permanently engrave the history of a displaced country onto a physical plane, memorializing the lives that were lost to a genocide.

Melkon Hovhannisyan’s impressionistic paintings are earthy and moody, with vibrant colors that bleed into one another and subjects that are almost indistinguishable from their background. “The Walk,” 1995, is a momentary glimpse of two figures, faceless and limbless yet they still feel alive. It seems as though the two people are moving forward despite being pushed back by an imagined wind, making their journey even more difficult. The figure toward the right of the painting almost appears to have a pair of wings, hearkened by the gossamer-thin streak of white just below their head. Maybe it is a guiding angel, encouraging the person in the foreground to continue ahead despite their troubles.

“Untitled,” c. 1996, is a darker, more morose image from Hovhannisyan than its angelic counterpart, perhaps alluding to a devilish circle of religious practice. The edges of the painting are engulfed in a shadowy blackness that encircles a grouping toward its center where human-like figures are spread around in a symmetrical fashion. The painting is jagged and dangerous, with its almost exclusively vertical nature that feels pointed like a sharp knife. The figures are connected by a draped piece of fabric, but it is unclear if it is a form of protection from the outside world. This image feels more inhuman than “The Walk,” and the two displayed side by side conjure feelings of religious contention but faith in community.

Each person’s story is interwoven yet individual, relying upon a common faith and a shared story. The Armenian Genocide and its effects are well-documented throughout the collection of archives, but it also provides insight into the personal lives of those who survived, and those who survive their families today.

Art New England Review of Gandzaran! at the Armenian Museum of America

Written by Maureen Canney

When one hears about the private vaults of a museum, it conjures images of a treasure hunt or some archaeological endeavor. At the Armenian Museum of America, they have termed a new exhibit, Gandzaran—an Armenian word related to the monastic vaults of old, where religious works were kept safe and protected. The Museum has opened its vault to this contemporary/modern art collection showcasing 39 works by 24 artists from around the world.

Ryann Casey, curator of the exhibit with the assistance of co-curators Gary Lind-Sinanian and Elias Trout, speaks with affection and reverence to what she witnessed as she surveyed the paragons kept secure in the museum’s vault. “This was a treasure hunt with way more contemporary art represented than I originally thought. As I was going through the archives I was seeing things I had not anticipated. Armenian art is venerated for its historical content but this spoke to a rich and diverse collection of contemporary art.”

In one instance, Casey caught the glint of gold on a shelf and pulled out a Martin Barooshian etching of Gomidas Vartabed which she notes as “one of those perfect moments you’re looking for,” as she built on the idea of showing what is otherwise unseen. She was stunned by the “supremely spectacular gems that she could not wait for people to see.”

Detail from Apo Torosyan (b. 1942), Bread 214 (1994), mixed media, donated by the artist, 2001.261.2.

From Apo Torosyan’s Bread 214, an austere statement of poverty and famine with his use of individual pieces of bread, to Minas Avetisyan’s Richard, acrylic on board with its musings of colors and lines, these artists are represented in sculptures, paintings, photographs, etchings, and works in texture, tone, and food.

Casey wanted to show the forward movement of contemporary artists from the genocide of 1915 to now. “What does contemporary art look like in contemporary times? You see different mediums, movements, eras, and approaches to art, even the materials that the artist uses. It’s all important and pivotal to understanding this robust and complicated aspect of what is Armenian art,” she explains.

This exhibition speaks to the sundry and unique works of art that are receiving a moment to breathe and inspire, irritate or confound the audience—as art should be allowed to do through display and query.

Gandzaran/Treasury Exhibition Puts Spotlight on Art Collection

Martin Barooshian (1929-2022), “Gomidas Vartabed 4/50,” c. 1970-1979, signed color intaglio etching, 24x22, donated by Haig Der Manuelian.

The Armenian Museum of America in Watertown has recently opened its latest exhibition in the Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries, “Gandzaran! Notable Selections from Our Collection.” The show is curated by Ryann Casey, and co-curated by Gary Lind-Sinanian and Elias Trout. 

“Gandzaran!” showcases 39 works by 24 artists from around the world. It is scheduled to run through August 4, 2024.

In recent centuries, Armenian fine art often focused on illuminations, reliquaries, and other pious objects, the most significant of which were secured and hidden in the gandzaran (գանձարան), or treasury, of a monastery. These treasure vaults were designed to protect religious works, which would be displayed periodically for the faithful, then returned to the vaults to be preserved for the ages.

“Drawing from the vaults of the Museum here in Boston, its own gandzaran of sorts, this exhibit highlights the development of Armenian art in the 20th and 21st centuries, from religious motifs to the Soviet period and its continuous reinterpretation among contemporary artists around the world,” says Curator Ryann Casey.

“It’s a show full of diversity that demonstrates the breadth of history in Armenia and the Diaspora, featuring paintings, etchings, and sculpture,” adds Ms. Casey. Some of the artists include Minas Avetisyan, Maria Manukyan Batlle, Jean Carzou, Edgar Chahine, Felix Eghiazarian, Charles Garabedian, Sarkis Hamalbashian, Jean Jansem, Kevork Mourad, Reuben Nakian, Naomi Pridjian, and Hovsep Pushman.

The show opened with a preview for Museum members on March 22. It was attended by more than 100 people including Museum Trustee Hapet Berberian, the family of the late Martin Barooshian, and the curator of his Trust, Michael J. Russo. Mr. Barooshian is an American-Armenian surrealist featured in the exhibition with two incredible etchings, including one of Gomidas Vartabed.

Executive Director Jason Sohigian noted at the opening, “We hope this exhibition gives visitors a glimpse of the range and complexity of our modern and contemporary art collection.” He went on to thank the artists who created these works, the donors who have gifted these pieces to the collection, and the people who support the Museum’s mission as members.

A section of the show reflects on collecting art. The first acquisitions outside of historic art in the collection of the Armenian Museum of America were primarily paintings donated by the founders, members, and artists. With a growing reputation, the Museum gradually attracted the attention of art collectors, establishing itself as a hub of Armenian cultural production and as a contributor to the wider arts community. “Armenian art is a living tradition--it is the Museum’s duty to embrace that dynamism as we acquire new works,” concludes Sohigian. “Our collections now include emerging artists alongside nationally and internationally renowned Armenian artists, representing a wide array of mediums, movements, and eras.”

The curator of the exhibition is Ryann Casey, a New Jersey based artist and educator. She holds a BA in Photography from Stockton University and an MFA/MS in Photography and Art History from Pratt Institute. She currently works as the Exhibition Coordinator at the Stockton University Gallery and is an adjunct Professor of Photography, Art History and Critical Theory.

The Armenian Museum of America is located at 65 Main Street, Watertown, MA. Its three floors of gallery space are open from Thursday to Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00.

Armenian Manuscript-Inspired Notebook with Slipcase

Armenian binding, deeply rooted in history, is a testimony to craftsmanship and artistry, reflected not only in the contents but also in its leather cover, binding method and typical Armenian endband.

Armenian binding has a rich history that harks back to ancient times. Manuscripts were not only meticulously transcribed but also bound in a manner that combined beauty and durability. These manuscripts often featured intricately illustrated leather covers and were adorned with typical Armenian endbands, a distinctive feature of Armenian bookbinding. This notebook pays homage to this rich and sacred Armenian manuscript heritage. Its handcrafted design embraces the essence of Armenian binding, with a leather cover reminiscent of those ancient manuscripts and a typical Armenian endband that graces the spine. It's a unique fusion of history and modern utility, providing both a canvas for your thoughts and a piece of art to cherish. 

Your order supports our Mission and serves as a valuable contribution to the preservation of the rich Armenian bookbinding tradition. By choosing our manuscript-inspired notebook, you play a crucial role in revitalizing a nearly lost art form, enabling our bindery to breathe new life into this cherished heritage. We trust that this notebook will be a source of inspiration for your creative journey. Click here to view in gift shop.

• Each notebook is approximately 5x7 inches and is 78 pages in length.

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