Subtexts…
Bronze mainstream at “Albert and Tove Boyajian” exhibition hall
The exhibition opened yesterday at “Albert and Tove Boyajian” exhibition hall presented the small-sized works and bas-reliefs of the head of Sculpture chair of State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia Garegin Davtyan. The familiar themes of Greek mythology were interpreted in a different way, away typical to the sculptor. “I don’t do illustrations I continue with the theme and create my own interpretations based on that”, told Garegin Davtyan. In other words, the themes and plots familiar to us are changed and interpreted in another way.
Several interesting characters entitled “Living Cups” were created in Hungary. The cups are rather unusually “shaped” and attract attention. There are also plots, compositions that the sculptor took from real life, creating certain psychological movements through deformations of the female body. The “Renaissance” sculpture stands out. The tree is very attractive in its dry and simple bareness. Its “root”, the woman’s nakedness, is a new beginning, a birth.
Garegin Davtyan says that this is a staged exhibition, a preparation for a big exhibition that will take place at Artists Union of Armenia. There will be large-scale works, portraits, sculptures that the artist makes selectively, of faces close to his heart (Beethoven, Dante, Gogol, Teryan). In this exhibition, a miniature sculpture by Hieronymus Bosch, a Dutch painter of the Middle Ages, is displayed from that series. The artistic environment created by Garegin Davtyan is mysterious and allegorical: it is an intersection of past and present, reality and imagination. And this provides room for thinking, makes the presented works interesting in another angle as well.
Aram Isabekyan, Rector of the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, encourages and emphasizes the organization of lecturers’ exhibitions in the Academy’s exhibition hall. There is one reason, “So that the students know who their professors are as creators, to know our elder artists, to know their teachers, among them Garegin Davtyan. For many years, he has been in a responsible position; he heads the chair of sculpture, which is a difficult thing”.
Suren Safaryan, the Chairman of Artists Union and member of Board of Trustees who has also been a graduate of SAFAA shared the same attitude. Although he studied at Painting department he mentioned, “We always turned to him for an advice and he always helped us. This exhibition organized in our lovely exhibition hall is a must for our students. Here the students get acquainted with the works of the professor, learn from him and get inspiration”.
Remembering the creative projects, ideas, sketches that Garegin Davtyan has, and the works made by him, installed in the city, Aram Isabekyan ended his speech with a very important wish. “God grant let such works adorn our city”.
Melanya Badalyan
Translated by Naira Stepanyan
