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Kasbarian: Chookaszian Revives Artist Fetvadjian

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  • Kasbarian: Chookaszian Revives Artist Fetvadjian

    CHOOKASZIAN REVIVES ARTIST FETVADJIAN
    By Lucine Kasbarian

    Massis Post/Massis Weekly

    Feb. 11, 2013

    http://massispost.com/archives/8009?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ch ookaszian-revives-artist-fetvadjian

    BELMONT, MA - He documented monumental, now-vanished Armenian
    architecture. He painted representations of our women in folkloric
    dress. His reproductions launched public awareness of Armenian
    manuscript illumination. He illustrated the creativity of Armenian
    ornamental inscription and sculpture. And he designed the currency and
    postage stamps of the First Republic of Armenia in a way that
    celebrated our artistry and traditions. The man was Arshag Fetvadjian
    (1866-1947), and through the meticulous research of eminent Armenian
    art historian Levon Chookaszian, the global Armenian community and art
    lovers alike have been given the opportunity to rediscover a true son
    of the Armenian nation whose love of homeland highlighted nearly all
    of his accomplishments as a leading Armenian artist and art historian
    of the 19th century.

    Chookaszian, founder and director of the UNESCO Chair of Armenian Art
    History at Yerevan State University, has embarked on a lecture tour to
    celebrate Fetvadjian and the release of Chookaszian's book about the
    art legend. ("Arshag Fetvadjian," in English, Armenian and Russian,
    $75, Yerevan, Armenia: Printinfo, 2011.) In an intimate, engaging and
    inspiring multi-media lecture, Chookaszian did justice to the many
    facets of Fetvadjian the man and the diversity of his artistic
    aptitudes.

    This event was held on Nov. 7 at the National Association of Armenian
    Studies and Research's (NAASR) in conjunction with an exhibition of
    Fetvadjian's work at the Armenian Library and Museum of America
    (ALMA), a co-sponsor of this event.

    Born in the Black Sea region of Trebizond, Fetvadjian, at age 16,
    enrolled at the Imperial School of Fine Arts in Constantinople.

    Graduating with high honors, he was awarded the school's "Rome Prize,"
    which would allow him to study in Italy with the proviso that he
    return to Turkey and accept a state position. As Chookaszian
    explained, Fetvadjian turned down this prize on the recommendation of
    a trusted advisor, Voskan Bey Mardikian.

    Under the veil of anonymity, Mardikian bequeathed a sum for Fetvadjian
    to pursue his art studies in Rome but advised him to never return to
    Turkey. Instead, he urged Fetvadjian to go forth into the world and
    promote the unsung greatness of a beleaguered Armenia through his art.

    While in Italy, Fetvadjian "became inspired by the heroic spirit of
    the Italians who were freed from Austrian control," wrote Chookaszian
    in his book. "That inspiration was essential for the formation of
    artistic and political views of Fetvadjian."

    As was evident from the body of work he left behind, Fetvadjian was an
    ardent defender of "hayabahbanoum," or preservation of the Armenian
    identity. "It was as if a voice from within was telling him to mark
    out our national treasures on the ground," said Chookaszian. And this
    was with good reason, he continued, "as many if not most treasures did
    not withstand the depredations of the Genocide, nor was the Western
    world aware of them."

    Fetvadjian's many illustrious colleagues included the father of
    Armenian architectural historiography, Toros Toramanian, with whom
    Fetvadjian studied the remains of medieval Armenian architectural
    monuments, particularly at Ani, the famed Armenian city of 1,001
    churches. Among Fetvadjian's best-known paintings is "Woman of
    Sassoun," a rifle-clad matron defending the Armenian highlands from
    the Turkish onslaughts while suckling a child said to metaphorically
    represent Armenia. Many elder Armenian-Americans will recall when
    Fetvadjian was commissioned to create his magnificent painting of a
    very Armenian-looking "Madonna and Child" that still graces the altar
    of St. Illuminator's Armenian Cathedral in NYC. All in all,
    Chookaszian's presentation made abundantly clear that Fetvadjian is to
    be venerated for documenting and popularizing many aspects of our
    ancient culture and customs through his works.

    Even though Fetvadjian has been honored with two large exhibitions in
    Yerevan, in the 1950s he was all but forgotten by the Soviet Armenian
    authorities, and by extension, the natives of the land. Fetvadjian was
    undoubtedly neglected in the Soviet era because of the patriotic
    nature of his work and his close association with the first Republic
    of Armenia. Had Fetvadjian's works been made available during Soviet
    times, asserted Chookaszian, his paintings, research, reviews and
    documentation would have been able to influence and inform generations
    of multi-disciplinary scholars, artists and others, not only in
    Armenia but the world over.

    After studying and creating art around the world, Fetvadjian came to
    NYC to pursue his profession while living under spartan conditions.

    Weary, depressed and longing for his native land, he was urged by
    Manuel Der Manuelian, one of the four consuls of the first Republic of
    Armenia, to immigrate to Boston, where he lived for the last 25 years
    of his life. Manuel's offspring, Vigen, Haig and Lucy Der Manuelian,
    were all deeply affected by Fetvadjian's presence as an adoptive
    member of their family. This is greatly evidenced by the
    accomplishments of all three children: Vigen and Haig pledged to open
    a museum as a tribute to all that they had come to love about Armenia
    and its people, resulting in their establishment of ALMA. And Lucy
    became a prominent historian of Armenian art and architecture in her
    own right.

    Just as the government of Soviet Armenia in 1947 extended an
    invitation for Fetvadjian to return and live in Armenia, he passed
    away in Massachusetts, but not before packing up his life's work to
    bequeath to the National Gallery of Armenia for safeguarding and
    exposition. It was Levon Chookaszian's grandfather's cousin, Barkev
    Chookaszian, who led the drive to return Fetvadjian's art, archive and
    human remains to Armenia.

    While master artists such as Vartkes Sureniants and Krikor Khanjian
    are roundly celebrated for capturing the imagination and reverence of
    the Armenian people, we have visionary art historians such as
    Chookaszian to thank for reinstalling Fetvadjian into our collective
    memory and into the very same pantheon of illustrious Armenian
    national artists.

    Among their many other accomplishments, Levon Chookaszian and his
    brother Karekin are to be thanked for initiating the Virtual Museum of
    Armenian Art, a multimedia software series created to safeguard and
    promote the endangered world of our Armenian art heritage.

    The lavishly illustrated "Arshag Fetvadjian" book is available at
    NAASR Bookstore in Belmont; Abril, Sardarabad and Berge Bookstores in
    Los Angeles; and Artbridge, Noyan Tapan, and Matenadaran Bookstores in
    Yerevan, among others.



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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