Roslin Art Gallery presents
FROM GYUMRI TO GLENDALE
The art of HOVIK AGHEKYAN
March 1 – 17, 2018
Roslin Art Gallery
415 E. Broadway
Glendale, CA 91205
Opening reception: March 1 at 7:00pm
Closing reception: March 17 at 7:00pm
Conversation with artist (in Armenian)
A portion of the sales will be donated to the
TERCHOONIAN HOME ORPHANAGE OF GYUMRI
Gallery Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm
For more information, call (818) 241-0611
The ancient city of Gyumri has always been a place of comedy and tragedy. Although its name has changed throughout history, its culture and people have thrived and blossomed. With their distinct folklore and humor, the people of Gyumri have dealt with countless blows and hardships coming their way. One of the most recent events marking the city is the terrifying earthquake of 1988. More than 10,000 people were killed, many of them children, and the city was left in ruins.
The art of Hovik Aghekyan is an outcome of this tragicomic city. He has coped with loss through art. His colorful abstractions paradoxically bring order to the destruction around him and attempt to make sense of the chaos. Within the haze of his drawings lies a focus, a focus of the splendor and laughter of the people and places of the past and future. The sharp contrasting worlds of the black and the white come together in harmony. In 2015, Gyumri and Glendale became sister cities. Through this exhibit, we are honored to celebrate the creations of this remarkable artist and to bring our two cities together.
HOVIK AGHEKYAN was born in 1957 in Gyumri, Armenia (formerly known as Leninakan). He attended the art school named after Merkurov in Gyumri and graduated in 1972. He continued his education with a Master’s Degree in History at the yerevan State University, graduating in 1979. Aghekyan has participated in many exhibitions in Gyumri. He has worked at the “kumayri” Reserve-Museum and lectured at the Gyumri Arts Academy as well as the Gyumri Pedagogical Institute. He currently works at the Shirak Geology Museum and is in charge of drawing all archaeological findings.
THE TERCHOONIAN HOME ORPHANAGE OF GYUMRI opened its doors in the fall of 2003. This was made possible by the generous donation of $350,000 in the name of the late Vahan Terchoonian by his family, to establish an orphanage in Gyumri (Alexandropol), Armenia. This was the same city Terchoonian found refuge in after escaping from Turkey, before he eventually immigrated to the United States.
The site of the Terchoonian Home was once an orphanage managed by the Near East Relief. It later became a military headquarters for the Soviet army. The building was heavily damaged during an earthquake in 1988. But thanks to the Terchoonian bequest, and the hard work and dedication of men such as the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian and Romen Gozmoyan, the building was purchased and completely renovated. Today, there are 74 children and a staff of 54.
