|
A World Bank and Embassy of Armenia
Exhibition of Armenian Contemporary Art from the Collection of
Vartkess and Rita Balian.
The tradition of representational art in Armenia dates back to
early years of its statehood over 3,000 years ago, when Armenian
artists first turned to carving beauty out of stones and making
organic plant- and animal-based paints for the inimitable fresco
paintings that can still be found in former Armenian territories.
Armenian Art always existed as iteractive with the world: from the
Hellenic influences of the 2 century BC to its current reflection of
postmodern art in Europe, Armenian artists have shown their astute
understanding and awareness of these trends and movements. At the
same time, Armenian Art now much as it did 3,000 years ago, retains
strong, distinguishing characteristics which are reflected in the
interaction of man with the landscape, the retention of a particular
Armenian palette consisting of organic reds, browns and earth-tones
, and a sense of history which informes the content and the form of
each individual creation.Armenia`s conversion to Christianity in 301
AD gave rise to new art forms, including Armenian iconography that
combines bright , festive colors as well as Armenian Khachkars,
where the mastery of Armenian masons is especially evident.
The history of Armenian art is as tumultuous as the national
history itself.
With unprecedented energy, Armenian Art grew and flourished,
producing brilliant new artists who continue to find ingenuous and
unique ways of reconciling Armenian artistic traditions with
modernity and with the developments in Western visual art.
Drama and Elegance Exhibition gives an accurate picture of the
current trends among contemporary Armenian artists and illustrates
the palimpsest of centuries of artistic history that defines
Armenian Art. |
