Exhibition and fundraising Sale of Armenian Antique Rugs

Curated by Hratch Kozibeuokian

the exhibition will remain open till October 19 , 2024

Gallery hours

Monday til’ Friday 5pm – 9 pm

Saturday 2pm – 6 pm

Sunday By Appointment Only Call 747-208-2000

 KOSTANIAN: ENERGY AS ART 

Let’s embark with Anna Kostanian to the center of the galaxy, to the reflection of the cosmos in a drop of water, to the sun inside its rays, to the center of gravity. The artist’s signature form is the primal understanding of energy released to all points outward simultaneously. Anna Kostanian releases, explodes and envelops. She embodies energy and her art manifests it, delivers it and, most importantly, records it.

The recent paintings by Anna Kostanian continue with her career-long embrace of the primitive, the emotive, the raw and untamed. And yet, even with the liberated rhythm apparent in each work, there is an unyielding order, a ripple through both time and space, a precise substructure that guides the artist’s brute brushwork.

When her paintings are composed in her assertive dark chroma we see themes and feelings rendered before us. But in choosing white paint in some of this work, the painter embraces the act of reduction. These white tones, this absence of color, this consideration of invisibility… it all conspires to construct an additional paradigm. She enters bold pictorial territory in the paradoxical absence of assertive delineation – the absence of color adds the ethereal to the possibilities of what is going on here.

White paint is, in the history of painting, the additive to create softer colors, the mix to brighten, the dabble of reflected light. In the tradition of the rigorous modernist Robert Ryman and with the bold minimal freedom of the painter Agnes Martin, Kostanian rids her paintings of anything but themselves. Abandoning color emphasizes the presence of paint, of the artist’s intent to create rather than render, to play god (or more appropriately, goddess) and fabricate a new universe instead of subordinating wonder and awe to something prefabricated.

This exhibit highlights a broad swath of the artist’s oeuvre, from the compact to the monumental, from documentation of the temporary to the portable and permanent. Wherever paint is composed, energy abounds and this artist belabors that unyielding fact to wonderous results.

—Mat Gleason, 2024

Arshak Nazarian’s artistic journey began the day he was born on November 9th, 1961, in the vibrant city of Yerevan, Armenia. Growing up in the household of his esteemed father, the renowned Armenian sculptor, Suren Nazarian, Arshak was nurtured in an environment rich with creativity and passion for art. His formative years were spent absorbing the essence of sculpting, laying the foundation for his future endeavors. Remaining true to his roots, Arshak pursued his professional education in Yerevan, first at the Terlemezyan Fine Arts School from 1976 to 1980, and later at the State Fine Arts Academy from 1980 to 1986. It was during this time that he not only honed his sculpting skills but also delved deep into the annals of art history, acquainting himself with the diverse currents of contemporary art. Following his graduation, Arshak Nazarian embarked on a prolific artistic career, marked by participation in numerous exhibitions organized by the Union of Artists of Armenia and the wider USSR. His work was showcased not only in his native Yerevan and the cultural hub of Moscow but also in international settings such as Panevezhis (Lithuania) and Khartoum (Sudan). In 1987, Arshak became a member of the “3rd Floor,” a dynamic group of young artists pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. Together, they explored new avenues and shared their creative visions with the world. By 1990, Arshak’s talent and dedication were recognized when he was admitted into the prestigious Union of Artists of the USSR. The early 1990s ushered in a period of significant change, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union plunged the region into turmoil. In 1992, amid the upheaval, Arshak made the bold decision to relocate to the United States, seeking new horizons for his career. In his adopted homeland, Arshak Nazarian’s talent continued to shine brightly. His works, characterized by their enduring quality and evolving style, graced the walls of galleries across the United States and beyond. From New Jersey to San Francisco to Beverly Hills, Paris to Moscow to Berlin, his art captivated audiences and earned him a place among the contemporary art scene’s most notable figures. Today, Arshak Nazarian’s legacy endures, with his masterpieces finding homes in private collections worldwide and prestigious institutions such as the Modern Art Museums of Yerevan and Medellin (Colombia), and the State Picture Gallery of Vanadzor (Armenia). Residing and creating in Glendale, California, he continues to inspire with his boundless creativity and unwavering passion for sculpting.

Agness Nazarian June 8, 2024 

Arshak Nazarian’s artistic journey began the day he was born on November 9th, 1961, in the vibrant city of Yerevan, Armenia. Growing up in the household of his esteemed father, the renowned Armenian sculptor, Suren Nazarian, Arshak was nurtured in an environment rich with creativity and passion for art. His formative years were spent absorbing the essence of sculpting, laying the foundation for his future endeavors. Remaining true to his roots, Arshak pursued his professional education in Yerevan, first at the Terlemezyan Fine Arts School from 1976 to 1980, and later at the State Fine Arts Academy from 1980 to 1986. It was during this time that he not only honed his sculpting skills but also delved deep into the annals of art history, acquainting himself with the diverse currents of contemporary art. Following his graduation, Arshak Nazarian embarked on a prolific artistic career, marked by participation in numerous exhibitions organized by the Union of Artists of Armenia and the wider USSR. His work was showcased not only in his native Yerevan and the cultural hub of Moscow but also in international settings such as Panevezhis (Lithuania) and Khartoum (Sudan). In 1987, Arshak became a member of the “3rd Floor,” a dynamic group of young artists pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. Together, they explored new avenues and shared their creative visions with the world. By 1990, Arshak’s talent and dedication were recognized when he was admitted into the prestigious Union of Artists of the USSR. The early 1990s ushered in a period of significant change, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union plunged the region into turmoil. In 1992, amid the upheaval, Arshak made the bold decision to relocate to the United States, seeking new horizons for his career. In his adopted homeland, Arshak Nazarian’s talent continued to shine brightly. His works, characterized by their enduring quality and evolving style, graced the walls of galleries across the United States and beyond. From New Jersey to San Francisco to Beverly Hills, Paris to Moscow to Berlin, his art captivated audiences and earned him a place among the contemporary art scene’s most notable figures. Today, Arshak Nazarian’s legacy endures, with his masterpieces finding homes in private collections worldwide and prestigious institutions such as the Modern Art Museums of Yerevan and Medellin (Colombia), and the State Picture Gallery of Vanadzor (Armenia). Residing and creating in Glendale, California, he continues to inspire with his boundless creativity and unwavering passion for sculpting.

Agness Nazarian June 8, 2024 

Friday, September 13, 2024.  7:00 pm – 10 pm

Saturday, September 14, 2024  3 pm – 9 pm

Sunday, September15, 2024  3 pm – 7 pm

Arshak Nazarian’s artistic journey began the day he was born on November 9th, 1961, in the vibrant city of Yerevan, Armenia. Growing up in the household of his esteemed father, the renowned Armenian sculptor, Suren Nazarian, Arshak was nurtured in an environment rich with creativity and passion for art. His formative years were spent absorbing the essence of sculpting, laying the foundation for his future endeavors. Remaining true to his roots, Arshak pursued his professional education in Yerevan, first at the Terlemezyan Fine Arts School from 1976 to 1980, and later at the State Fine Arts Academy from 1980 to 1986. It was during this time that he not only honed his sculpting skills but also delved deep into the annals of art history, acquainting himself with the diverse currents of contemporary art. Following his graduation, Arshak Nazarian embarked on a prolific artistic career, marked by participation in numerous exhibitions organized by the Union of Artists of Armenia and the wider USSR. His work was showcased not only in his native Yerevan and the cultural hub of Moscow but also in international settings such as Panevezhis (Lithuania) and Khartoum (Sudan). In 1987, Arshak became a member of the “3rd Floor,” a dynamic group of young artists pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. Together, they explored new avenues and shared their creative visions with the world. By 1990, Arshak’s talent and dedication were recognized when he was admitted into the prestigious Union of Artists of the USSR. The early 1990s ushered in a period of significant change, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union plunged the region into turmoil. In 1992, amid the upheaval, Arshak made the bold decision to relocate to the United States, seeking new horizons for his career. In his adopted homeland, Arshak Nazarian’s talent continued to shine brightly. His works, characterized by their enduring quality and evolving style, graced the walls of galleries across the United States and beyond. From New Jersey to San Francisco to Beverly Hills, Paris to Moscow to Berlin, his art captivated audiences and earned him a place among the contemporary art scene’s most notable figures. Today, Arshak Nazarian’s legacy endures, with his masterpieces finding homes in private collections worldwide and prestigious institutions such as the Modern Art Museums of Yerevan and Medellin (Colombia), and the State Picture Gallery of Vanadzor (Armenia). Residing and creating in Glendale, California, he continues to inspire with his boundless creativity and unwavering passion for sculpting.

Agness Nazarian June 8, 2024