Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/424604
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2014 THIS WEEK 46 TAMAR HAYDUKE ONCE upon a time, then more than twice within perception and then again once upon the canvas, the artworks of Seyran Gasparyan em- brace testimonies of his life experi- ence, the life he identifies with, or used to. They stage scenes from folk tales, legends and myths, or from a peasant's, farmer's or builder's posi- tion in everyday life. What is fixed on the surface in Seyran's works is 'the atmosphere'. Colours and shapes evoke figures suspended in their own right time and their own worlds. You are able to perceive them wandering in their orbit… however, they will not look at you directly in the eyes. Seyran is an artist with a specific point of view, a worldview that is generated from the values he was grown up with, and shaped within the framework of a culture, which have a clear definition of what is good and what is bad – the Arme- nian culture. In his artworks, we do not see a peasant, we see the peasant. We do not see a mother carrying her son, but rather we see the mother carry- ing her son as if he intends to depict the concept of motherhood… both his inherited image and concept of motherhood in this case. The technique and the style he uses to express his story varies – it is not persistent. By observing his works we notice traces of a cubist's, of a fauvist's or (in his landscapes) of an impressionist's manners and modes. He does not defend one style over the other; instead, he keeps on going through them, and he employs them all with remarkable ability. I would consider his approach similar to that of a constructor. By constructing his time (making art) he constructs spaces inside his art, brick by brick, line by line, stroke by stroke. You will not see an inac- curate part in his pictures, neither unfinished nor bare sections in those well- equilibrated compositions, in colour and in form. Once upon a time, then more than twice within percep- tion and then "constructed" upon the canvas... SO Galerie exhibits oil paintings by Armenian artist Seyran Gasparyan About the artist Seyran Gasparyan was born on January 23, 1956 in the region of Shirak. His family moved to Yerevan when he was four. After finishing secondary school, he served with the Soviet Army for several years in Czechoslovakia. He later graduated from Terlemezyan Art College – Department of Pictorial Art – in 1979 and from Yerevan Institute of Fine Arts and Theatre – Department of Decorative and Applied Arts – in 1985. In 1998, he became a member of the Artists' Union of Armenia. Seyran Gasparyan – An exhibition of oil paintings is currently on display SO Galerie, Triq Dun Karm, Iklin until January 31. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 10:00 until 13:00, and 16:00 until 18:30 – Friday till Sunday by ap- pointment. For more information contact Joseph S. Gauci on jsg@sogalerie. com, www.sogalerie.com or 9942 4020