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Vahram — The Eternal in The Present
ahram’s art could not be appropriately analyzed, interpreted or evaluated without reference to the genesis of the contemporary Russian school of painting. Like each painter of the era, Vahram’s style and qualifications were formed during the collapse of Soviet Communism. Also, not unlike his contemporaries, his creativity, too, was liberated from the shackles of the wretched inclinations of Communism, which under the guise of tradition, continued to linger and harm the social structure. Today, after the passing of two decades, things have changed in the former Soviet Union and in the world at large. Parallel to these ever-changing circumstances, Vahram’s art evolved dramatically. During the devastating 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Vahram was in his birthplace of Vanadzor, a town very close to the epicenter of the tremors. In minutes, he lost many friends and relatives—among them his first love. The anguish of the earthquake radically changed the meaning and direction of his life. The former romantic and carefree young man became prudent, and found himself facing tremendous responsibilities. Death’s
By Dr. MOVSES ZIRANI proximity and life’s transitory nature on the one hand, and the instantaneous pressures of the calamitous miseries on the other, did not wreck Vahram; rather they empowered him to embark on a struggle for a new and better life; thus the adage “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The following year, Vahram took a decisive step. He traveled to St. Petersburg where in the Hermitage he studied the masterpieces of the Renaissance artists and mastered his painting skills. While the earthquake changed his perspective on life, the St. Petersburg journey, and the Hermitage in particular, transformed his perception of art by opening up his aestheticism to new dimensions. Revitalized and captured by Renaissance art—especially by Rembrandt and Vermeer— in 1990 he returned to Yerevan to continue his studies and embark on his creative life. The calamities of the earthquake, the political instability, the Armenian-Azeri bloody conflict and the economical hardship were reminiscent of Russia—and even Europe—at the beginning of the 20th century.
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In this ambiance, the drive of creativity and the urgent need for survival provided new possibilities for Vahram. Instead of giving up to hopelessness and despair, he purified his soul in these sufferings and he became genuinely productive. Vahram’s creative explorations stretched to all domains of art schools that flourished in Russia and Europe at the turn of the 20th century, such as Rayonism and Suprematism to Abstraction and Conceptual Art. During these explorations Vahram produced two significant paintings: Self-portrait (1992) and The Nude (1993). His Self-portrait conveys many messages. In it, he gazes in a reproachable pose. Despite his mutilated and painful past, he has to carry out his responsibilities with dignity. He is well aware of the unfair circumstances surrounding him, but he clings to the present to foster his future. The Nude is the vibrant and beautiful life itself portrayed in a woman full of strength and dynamism. She is bursting with sexuality but her gender is not underlined. She is lively and full of energy and continues her struggle for life. Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2009 • 17