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Garnik
Der
Hacopian
The
present
exhibition
titled
“An
Image
of
Duality”
includes
two
periods
of
Garnik
Der
Hacopian’s
work:
his
lattice-work
series
and
still
lives.
Dividing
Hacopian’s
work
into
different
periods
is
not
intended
to
describe
the
artist’s
conclusion
of
one
style
and
language,
and
transition
into
another
entirely
new
form
of
expression.
Rather,
his
decade-long
portfolio
speaks
of
his
non-stop
return
to
the
artistic
language
and
foundations
that
he
has
experimented
with
over
the
years,
and
which
have
served
him
well
in
the
creation
of
his
work.
This
approach
allows
him
to
sometimes
return
to a
piece
that
was
completed
in
the
past
but
never
exhibited
–
and
based
on
internal
yearnings
influenced
by
his
changing
context
– he
will
delve
deeper
into
the
work
and
see
it
in
the
context
of
new
inspirations
and
needs,
ultimately
revising
the
piece
and
creating
something
new.
Hacopian’s
first
artistic
experiments
with
cement
lattice-work
date
back
to
1975;
bright,
colorful
compositions
that
depict
human
portraits
through
geometric
surfaces,
where
the
pattern’s
edge
is
sometimes
curved
and
smooth,
and
sometimes
sharp
and
rough.
These
works
that
were
first
made
by
carving
cement
surfaces
applied
on
board,
are
a
continuation
of
the
artist’s
previous
experiments
on
paper
and
canvas
with
abstract
compositions
of
organic
and
geometric
forms.
By
1989
these
artistic
experiences
had
gained
a
mature
structure
that
the
artist
has
maintained
to
the
present
time.
This
is
how
Ruyin
Pakbaz
describes
these
pieces,
“...the
cement
lattice-work
are
the
result
of
the
conscious
integration
of
his
previous
experiences.
The
artist’s
dual
interests
and
tendencies
have
reached
a
unity
in
these
pieces,
where
external
influences
are
refined
by
passing
though
the
artist’s
internal
filter.
Visual
signs
are
transmuted
into
abstract
patterns.
Like
his
previous
work
the
compositions
here
continue
to
remain
self-referential,
but
through
their
patterns
they
express
a
slow
or
fast
rhythm.
The
contrast
between
curved
lines
and
flat
surfaces,
along
with
the
application
of
black
and
white
or
colorful
shadows,
makes
the
work
seem
two/three
dimensional.
This
suspended
sense
of
spatiality
adds
to
the
dynamism
of
the
work.
By
covering
the
carved
surface
of
concrete
with
matte
or
bright
colors
the
artist
softens
the
background
texture,
a
move
that
works
well
with
the
piece
in
whole.”
The
lattice-work
in
the
current
exhibition
present
a
less
seen
aspect
of
the
artist’s
work
for
the
first
time:
the
symbolic
use
of
letters
and
calligraphy.
This
approach
to
symbolism
that
had
previously
appeared
in
the
artist’s
work
as
intertwined
objects,
limbs,
and
human
figures
materializing
from
interlaced
patterns
and
textures,
is
now
revealed
in
the
form
of
dispersed
letters,
sometimes
reflecting
the
symbolic
role
of
language
by
remaining
independent
of
each
other
without
forming
a
word
(and
thus
implying
a
meaning),
and
other
times
inviting
further
deliberation
by
combining
to
create
clear
words
like
“Pooch”
(futile/void).
The
artist
writes
about
this
particular
technique,
“Carving
on
cement
was
influenced
by
my
childhood,
when
I
used
to
scratch
patterns
on
the
fogged
window
of
my
room
with
my
fingernail,
and
suddenly
a
variety
of
different
forms
would
emerge.
Of
course
my
practical
experiences
in
the
area
of
plasterwork,
tile
work,
illumination,
linoleum
and
polystyrene
carving,
and
woodwork
were
also
very
important
in
my
decision
to
work
with
cement.”
Hacopian’s
still
lives
are
a
continuation
of a
deep
interest
he
has
had
since
the
beginning
of
his
professional
career.
His
pleasant
combinations
of
objects
(musical
instruments,
plants,
flowers,
flowerpots,
fruits,
and
dishes)
that
are
created
using
the
same
technique
of
carving
and
applying
paint
on
cement
surfaces,
are
a
subject
he
has
continuously
returned
to
over
the
years.
It
seems
that
for
an
artist
who
in
his
subjective
representation
of
the
world
passes
it
through
the
filter
of
his
mind
to
create
abstract
patterns,
and
who
seeks
to
emphasize
the
tension
between
classical
elements
of
design
and
geometric
combinations,
creating
still
life
compositions
is a
return
to
the
simple,
straightforward
pleasure
of
looking
at
things.
In
these
paintings
where
the
subject
matter
is
always
located
within
a
focal
composition,
objects
are
simplified
without
becoming
abstract
and
flat.
The
painterly
quality
of
color
application
and
its
contrast
with
the
flat
surface
and
clear
boundaries
of
the
shapes
creates
a
dynamism
and
visual
energy
that
despite
the
fixed
quality
of
the
subject
matter
(depicted
objects
in
the
still
life),
make
the
viewer’s
gaze
travel
all
over
the
piece.
While
he
is
indebted
to
western
art
in
his
experiments
and
discoveries,
and
has
taken
advantage
of
cubism
and
expressionism
in
his
creation
of
forms
and
use
of
colors,
nonetheless
Hacopian
has
developed
his
own
language
by
combining
these
modern
styles
with
the
heritage
of
ancient
Iranian
figure
drawing
and
Armenian
ornamentation
and
patterns.
Hamid
Reza
Karami
January
2020
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