Dear All,
Last Night in los Angeles a very interesting lecture/presentation was organized by the local Bolsahay Organization;
“Armenian Painting, From the Beginning to the Present”.
The guest was the author herself, Mayda Saris. The lecture was based on the recently published English translation of the book authored by her with the same title. The publisher is AGOS of Bolis, the editor Hrant Dink, (the same distinguished Hrant Dink who has been in the headlines recently out of Turkey).
She is an art consultant and a researcher-writer, born in Bolis, a “rising star”, in her very early 50′s (my estimate).
Quoting from the inside back cover, she writes:
” The fact that these painters- of mostly Anatolian origin- had been unknown in their own country, despite the broad reputation they acquired abroad, was quite deploring. Extirpating this contradiction and filling a historical gap was obviously an irrefutable acknowledgement due to Armenians from Turkey. Thus, as a researcher who has been closely concerned with art-painting, in particular-and history, and who has desired to reanimate the spirit of Armenia art and culture, I have found myself delving into a pile of books written in French, English, Russian, and Armenian. The rich heritage that I have witnessed, whilst advancing through a time tunnel accompanied by some odors from the decaying papers of books, magazines and documents in the dusty archives, was an outstanding indicator of the close ties that have bonded the Armenian community with art.”
The book 264 pages, is very beautifully illustrated with about 400 pictures. The lecture includes a slide presentation and an expert’s delivery. Very impressive.
In the next few days, she is touring the US and Canada taking her to Detroit, Chicago, Boston, New York Montreal and probably more. I strongly recommend for you to attend the lecture (please consult your local calendars for dates and locations). I let her presentation be the best advocate for you to add the book to your collection after studying the content.
The contents include:
Introduction
Historic Background
The Outlook.
Rock Carvings on the Armenian Plateau and Painting in Ancient Armenia
The Early products: Rock Carvings
Antiquity.
Armenian Miniature Art
The Great Master of Miniature: Toros Roslin
The Second Peak of Miniature Art: Sarkis Bidzak (The Wasp).
16th – 18th Centuries
The Modern Era
The First Representative of Modernism: Hovnatanian
Aivazovsky and the Generation of Marine Paiters
