ABOUT ARAM ISSABEKIAN

In  artists'  families  the  choice  of  profession is  often predetermined:  a  painter's  son  has  to  become  a  painter  too. Sometimes, this   leads   to  disastrous   outcomes  and   great  disappointments.
Both  of  Aram's  parents  -  his  father,  Eduard Issabekian,  and his mother,   Arpenik   Nalbandian   -   are   famous   painters.  However, they  never  forced  him  to  engage  in  painting,  it was  rather the whole  atmosphere  of  the  familial  studio  that became  the decisive factor  in  Aram's  destiny.  Luckily  enough,  he  was  spared attending  the  State  Art  School,  though  it  was  a  must  for  those who intended to enter the Institute. In my opinion, as far  as art  is concerned,   lengthy   education,  shaped   by  outdated academic  methods, may strip a person of all individuality.

Technique  without  creativity  is  meaningless.  Aram  had  a  chance to  find  his  own  way  and  nobody  ever  imposed it  on him.  Let me note  that  it  is  rather  hard  to  impose  something on  people like Aram  (the  fact  that  the  family originates  from Igdir  is probably responsible for  that). In  short, talent  and ability  are given  to a person  at  birth,  but  knowledge  and  experience  are  up to  him to acquire.

When  I  first  saw  Aram's  work,  he  was  twelve.  I  remember being surprised  by  his  passion  for  Van  Gogh,  as  such  passion usually comes  at  an  older  age.  Then,  due  to various  reasons, I  did not hear of Aram for quite a  while. Many  years later,  at an  art exhibition I paid attention to a still-life that struck the eye by its "oddity."   Surrounded   by  "typically   Armenian",  lavish   canvases,  it looked  very  unconventional:   reserved  colors,   meticulously  drawn details. To my astonishment, the author was Aram Issabekian.

Not  so  long  ago  Armenian  painting  was  divided into  two distinct styles:  "Saryanism"  and  socialistic  realism.  The former  was often very  far  from  the  depth  and the  power of  the great  painter, and the   latter   followed   the   Soviet   standard,   sometimes   adding  national flavoring to it. The rare bright  individuals were  treated as  mavericks  and  never  fitted  into  the  few  existing  niches.  There  was  an  atmosphere  of  illusory  accord  and  unanimity with  a fixed  set of  titles and  awards for  the most  loyal... And  then, suddenly,  the  enormous  empire  collapsed  and  fell  into  many  big  and small  "independent"  territories. The  world of  artists and  scientists, who  had  been  used  to  a  certain  degree  of stability,  turned immensely tiny and insecure overnight, regardless of  their abilities.  In the  chaos  that  followed,  the  energy  of  the   young  broke   free  and  entailed   unforeseen   consequences.   Unrestricted  freedom   led  to  disorder  and  anarchy,  a  development  that  is   almost  unavoidable  after all social upheavals. We had to survive it...

Late  in  1998,  the  Museum  of  Modern  Art,  opened   an  exhibition of 46 painters, with a symbolic title:  "On the  Threshold of  the 21st  Century."  The  exposition  was as  significant as  the opening  of the  Museum  in  1972.   The  wide   range  of   authors  and   their  works  demonstrated  again  the talent  of Armenian  artists. It  also bridged  all  poles  and  demonstrated  that  antagonism  and  militant intolerance  are  pointless.  The  only  criterion  was  quality.  The  public  appreciated  the  portraits  and  still-lives  by Aram  Issabekian. The  work of an artist is the cardiogram of his  life -  it shows  his mood,  state of  mind, degree  of sincerity.  I prefer  Aram's works  that are closer to nature:  his portraits  and still-lives.  There is  more love  and  concentration,  and  therefore,  artistic  tact  and  quality,  in  them.  His  best  portraits are  those of  his friends,  colleagues and family.

To  know  somebody  it  is  best  to  take a  look at  his environment.  There  is nothing  superfluous or  luxurious or  exotic in  Aram's studio.  There  is  no  bohemian  mess, carefully  preserved for  the visitors  and reporters.  You find  yourself in  a neat,  clean -  but not  sterile -  space with  his favorite  books, albums  and records.  It is  an environment of an intelligent person.

The  still-lives  that  Aram  paints  every now  and then  never depict traditionally  flamboyant  fruit-and-vegetable  compositions  or  voluminous  bouquets.  They  are   truly  ascetic   and  reserved   in  the choice  of  the  objects.  Aram's  still-lives are  most often  made up from  "pieces"  of  memories:  bottles, simple  pots, shells,  clocks - all  that is  kept somewhere  in the  depth of  memory and  then suddenly  retrieved  to  the  surface,  bringing  about  sweet  pain and nostalgia. Perhaps, Aram would find it strange, but I  feel a  lot of nostalgia in his still-lives. The usual  objects, brought  from various, even very short trips, are apt to  revive memories,  or -  to be more correct -  to restore  them. I  remember that,  as a  student of the Academy of Arts, I went to Italy  and upon  my return  I realized  that nostalgia is a broader notion than I used to think. It  does not  apply  exclusively  to  one's  homeland.  Man  is sometimes  weary of  his environment, of too much attention,  and even  of himself.  It is  just that  very few  have the  courage to  confess it...  However, if  you are never weary of the essence of  life you  will never  lose the  ground under your feet.

  It is difficult to really know a person, if you are just acquaintances.  Though  a  very  open  person,  Aram,  like many  other artists,  has a mask  that helps  him protect  himself from  the curious.  At a  distance,  he  looks  quite  respectable  and successful  - a  son of  famous  parents,  handsome,  talented  and  lucky.  He  has   made  a  good career: a Pro-rector,  then Professor  and, finally,  the Rector  of  a  prestigious art  school. He  can boast  of an  impressive number of exhibitions, including personal ones. All this is correct, but  it is just the' upper part of the iceberg. The  luck of  the handsome  "go-getter"  is  based  on  hard   work  and   persistence.  Besides, there  has  been  enough  trouble  and  misfortune in  his life  - it  would suffice to mention two serious cases  of fire.  Was it  a coincidence?  Envy  is  not  among  the  noblest  qualities   of  mankind and, unfortunately, it has not diminished with  the progress  of civilization.  Aram was  not embittered  by all  that had  happened to him, but it  took him  a lot  of creative  force, energy,  days and nights  to  overcome  the  crisis. The  courage and  romantic spirit that comes down  from His  father and  the kindness  inherited from  the  mother  helped  him  out.  That  mixture,  combined  with will  power,  as  well  as  irony  and kind  humor, has  always attracted people to him.

Aram Issabekian's interests are  very wide.  The frequent  trips to Paris  and  Venice,  close  acquaintance  with the  richest museums and galleries and meetings with fellow artists exerted  their influence  on  Aram's  worldview.  New  places  and  impressions  led to the creation of a  series called  Dreams. Another  series, Venetian Masks,  reproduces  the  wonderful  city  and  its  traditional masquerades.

In search of his style, Aram resorts  more and  more to  his famous genres, still-life and portrait. Thus, the Letter from America is a short story told by means of a still-life.  By its  completeness it belongs to a forgotten  and unpopular  style of  painting. Armenian artists   equate   completeness   to  academic   anachronism.  When socialist  realism  was no  longer imposed  on all  painters, every body  turned  to  a  loose  "free"  technique. This  was understand able and fruifful for a while, but later it  became the  only recognized  style  in Armenian  painting. The  way in  which one  of the "dissident"  techniques  became  the  "ruling"  one  and suppressed all the others is ridiculous indeed.

Aram  Issabekian  has  often   painted  his   daughter.  She   is  his  favorite  model,  and  one  can  follow  how  he  sees  her  grow and  creates  a  marvelous  portrait  gallery  of  charming  Anna.  Aram's  another success  is the  portrait of  his father,  Edward Issabekian.  First  of  all,  it  is  an  exam  passed  before the  most demanding  teacher and judge. Secondly,  that portrait  refutes the  theory that  photography  has  killed  the  genre  of  portrait.  Technology would  never  be  able to  replace human  skill and  vision, it  would never  be  able to  reproduce the  soul. The  wise old  man is  frankly posing,  but  at  the  same  time  one  has  the  impression that  he is  engulfed  in  his  own world,  in his  memories. Aram  Issabekian has  created  an  honest  artistic  document,  without idealizing  or making  a  hero  of  his  father.  We  see  a  handsome  manly  Armenian  who is full of vital energy  and confidence.  The portrait  shows the  artistic tact, sincerity, honesty and skill of the author.

After seeing that portrait I had the desire to appeal to  our artists  to paint their fathers. Such  an exposition  could be  an interesting  phenomenon,  and  experiment  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  test  of  truthfulness.

An artist involved in administrative work has to sacrifice a lot, and  the  most  precious of  those sacrifices  is time.  Like many of his  colieagues,  Aram  Issabekian  could  have  engaged   exclusively  in  teaching, but he  has to  search for  resources, build,  renovate and  repair. This is what heading an  Institute is  mainly about  in these  hard  times.  It  would have  been unjust  to omit  this side  of his  activity. Only serious concern,  devotion to  the cause,  gratitude to  the  past and  responsibility before  the future  could have  led him  to  become  a  Pro-Rector,  and  then  a  Rector   at  the   time  of  unprecedented  recession.  Only  those  who  chose  to  stay,  having  a  chance  to  immigrate  to  more  developed  and  comfortable countries  may  best  appreciate  this  deed.  Aram  Issabekian  did  not  only head a hopelessly poor  institution, but  engaged in  its reconstruction,  introduced  new  approaches  and  methods,   created  the  necessary  laboratories,  an  exhibition  hall, an  Institute museum,  and, with the  help of  the Mekhitarists,  established ties  with the  Venetian Academy of Arts.

Nowadays,  only  a  few  can  achieve  that  much.  Those   are  most  honest,  concentrated,  strong,  responsible  and   selfless  people,  who have s truly broad vision. Aram Isssbekian is one of them.

Henrik Igitian
Director of the Museum
Modem Art of Armenis


 

"... You don 't need any advice from me.
You are already a mature, gifted artist.
And these are wonderful paintings.
The portraits are especially good.
You shall have great success... "

Garzou 
Paris. 10.28.1996.


In Garzou's studio, Paris, 1995

 


 

Aram Issabekian is a very demanding person, who is never satisfied with the level he has achieved. He has always been loyal to his nature, and fashionable trends in art could never tempt him. Aram Issabekian is a proponent of  eternal values in art and fine goldsmith of its precious chain. Aram Issabekian is my beloved  friend, but we are very different in our artistic forms of expression. However, we both strive for perfection, each striding his own hard, but noble path in painting.

Varouzhan Vardanian
08.29.1999


Varouzhan Vardanian and Aram Issabekian

Edward Issabekian with Aram, 1955

Edward, Mher and Aram Issabekians - three generations

With Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin I at the opening of the exhibition, Aleppo, 1991

Left to right: Rector of Venice Art Academy Antonio Tonatio, Aram Issabekian, Father Haroutiun Pztikian: Venice, Mourad Rafaelian college

Participants of the Exhibition of 13