ETNA World presents: Contemporary Fine Art in America & the World

The paintings of Martiros speak about the life and style of a remarkable man, an artist gifted with the kind of creative genius one rarely has the opportunity to witness first-hand. Just as life and beauty are rich with endless variations, a look at Martiros’ life reveals a man of extraordinary character. Undoubtedly his concept of life and beauty have molded his entire being, carving out the kind of very unique and colorful persona who exemplifies the great art he creates.

Even as a child, this special personality emerged. Martiros, knew that he was born to be an artist, that it was his gift from God at birth. His energetic character, love of nature, and dislike of ‘collective’ activities, made him a demanding child for his parents and teachers. He had already begun to paint seriously by age 11 and remembers fondly how nature seduced him on the way to school one day, and how he simply had no choice but to paint it. All were amazed at the results and entered his painting in a competition for School Art in the Soviet Union where it won first prize. Not long after, his painting, "Girl of My Dreams" was entered in the Avant-Garde Exhibition for Teenagers.

His motif, even at that young age was already the beauty of woman, a theme which is so exquisitely prevalent in his paintings today. Critics were so impressed with his ability that from then on, he was recognized by everyone as an exceptional talent.

Martiros plunged into his art training even more resolutely at age 19, after the sudden death of his father. He felt a great responsibility to succeed as an artist in order to bring pride to his family name as well as to provide for his family.

1967, His love of challenge, his determination, and his advanced talent enabled him to enter the Academy of Art in Yerevan directly from high school. The academy years were marked by unheard of demonstrations of individuality and independence from traditional discipline. Nonetheless, Martiros repeatedly surpassed his classmates, surprised and even shocked his teachers who, though disturbed by his free-spirited way of doing things, had to acknowledge his outstanding results. Martiros worked on his own, his way, learning directly by studying the masters, discovering by doing. His inner spirit, coupled with the excellent foundation he received during those academy years, became the guiding force in his art for the years ahead.

1973-1974 Martiros served his compulsory military duty. In spite of his status as an artist and the use of his art for propagandist exhibitions, his superiors tormented him physically and mentally, trying to win him over to Communism. Through his strength, Martiros endured his military service victoriously, but recollections of those years and the ones that followed, remain unpleasantly vivid. For such a person who thrives on freedom, life in a communist regime was but a prison.

Despite his non-communist ideals, Martiros’ talent earned his membership in the prestigious Union of Soviet Artists, at the uncommonly young age of 26.

1974-1986 he exhibited throughout the Soviet Union under the auspices of the Union, and received numerous top honors. He also created within many art-related disciplines, experimenting with and mastering the use of metals such as gold, and silver, as well as working with glass, porcelain, and stone materials. However, his success and outspoken criticism of communist practices resulted in continuous harassment. He found a way to express his beliefs subtly in his art, exploring his canvas, and at the same time gaining expert experience in various media and materials which would later allow him to bring such striking techniques and materials to his paintings in America. His dream of living in America gained momentum and became his adamant goal. His potential could only be fulfilled in an environment of freedom.

1987 Martiros’ dream was realized when he was finally given permission to immigrate to the United States.

An examination of Martiros’ song reveals so many expressions of life which his new found freedom has allowed him to create in his art; songs of freedom, of challenge, of courage, of woman, of nature, of God, of all those things in life which represent beauty to him. One sees a painter liberated from the artistic dictates of politics, free to mix his perceptions of beauty, love, God, and nature through unbridled fantasy, free to try everything, without fear; freedom of media, of dimension, of color, of materials, of themes, all the while with total spontaneity, confidence, emotion, and effort. His unusual reference to icons, for example, is symbolic of the enduring nature of life and beauty together. In his brief years of painting on America, Martiros has undergone a rapid metamorphosis. We have seen his style develop from his intense efforts to break free, to give birth to his dream, as demonstrated in his ‘blue period’, putting the past to rest; to this ‘gold period’, a new age of light, of life, of freedom to blossom in every direction with the kind of power, vibrancy, and love which are evident in the over 300 originals Martiros has painted

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	MANOUKIAN MARTIROS Master of Humanism, Genius of Fantasy "My style is life, and I like life very much. My motif is beauty." "Nature is my best teacher. It is my palette." The paintings of Martiros speak about the life and style of a remarkable man, an artist gifted with the kind of creative genius one rarely has the opportunity to witness first-hand.
The paintings of Martiros speak about the life and style of a remarkable man, an artist gifted with the kind of creative genius one rarely has the opportunity to witness first-hand. Just as life and beauty are rich with endless variations, a look at Martiros’ life reveals a man of extraordinary character. Undoubtedly his concept of life and beauty have molded his entire being, carving out the kind of very unique and colorful persona who exemplifies the great art he creates. Even as a child, this special personality emerged. Martiros, knew that he was born to be an artist, that it was his gift from God at birth. His energetic character, love of nature, and dislike of ‘collective’ activities, made him a demanding child for his parents and teachers. He had already begun to paint seriously by age 11 and remembers fondly how nature seduced him on the way to school one day, and how he simply had no choice but to paint it. All were amazed at the results and entered his painting in a competition for School Art in the Soviet Union where it won first prize. Not long after, his painting, "Girl of My Dreams" was entered in the Avant-Garde Exhibition for Teenagers. His motif, even at that young age was already the beauty of woman, a theme which is so exquisitely prevalent in his paintings today. Critics were so impressed with his ability that from then on, he was recognized by everyone as an exceptional talent. Martiros plunged into his art training even more resolutely at age 19, after the sudden death of his father. He felt a great responsibility to succeed as an artist in order to bring pride to his family name as well as to provide for his family. 1967, His love of challenge, his determination, and his advanced talent enabled him to enter the Academy of Art in Yerevan directly from high school. The academy years were marked by unheard of demonstrations of individuality and independence from traditional discipline. Nonetheless, Martiros repeatedly surpassed his classmates, surprised and even shocked his teachers who, though disturbed by his free-spirited way of doing things, had to acknowledge his outstanding results. Martiros worked on his own, his way, learning directly by studying the masters, discovering by doing. His inner spirit, coupled with the excellent foundation he received during those academy years, became the guiding force in his art for the years ahead. 1973-1974 Martiros served his compulsory military duty. In spite of his status as an artist and the use of his art for propagandist exhibitions, his superiors tormented him physically and mentally, trying to win him over to Communism. Through his strength, Martiros endured his military service victoriously, but recollections of those years and the ones that followed, remain unpleasantly vivid. For such a person who thrives on freedom, life in a communist regime was but a prison. Despite his non-communist ideals, Martiros’ talent earned his membership in the prestigious Union of Soviet Artists, at the uncommonly young age of 26. 1974-1986 he exhibited throughout the Soviet Union under the auspices of the Union, and received numerous top honors. He also created within many art-related disciplines, experimenting with and mastering the use of metals such as gold, and silver, as well as working with glass, porcelain, and stone materials. However, his success and outspoken criticism of communist practices resulted in continuous harassment. He found a way to express his beliefs subtly in his art, exploring his canvas, and at the same time gaining expert experience in various media and materials which would later allow him to bring such striking techniques and materials to his paintings in America. His dream of living in America gained momentum and became his adamant goal. His potential could only be fulfilled in an environment of freedom. 1987 Martiros’ dream was realized when he was finally given permission to immigrate to the United States. An examination of Martiros’ song reveals so many expressions of life which his new found freedom has allowed him to create in his art; songs of freedom, of challenge, of courage, of woman, of nature, of God, of all those things in life which represent beauty to him. One sees a painter liberated from the artistic dictates of politics, free to mix his perceptions of beauty, love, God, and nature through unbridled fantasy, free to try everything, without fear; freedom of media, of dimension, of color, of materials, of themes, all the while with total spontaneity, confidence, emotion, and effort. His unusual reference to icons, for example, is symbolic of the enduring nature of life and beauty together. In his brief years of painting on America, Martiros has undergone a rapid metamorphosis. We have seen his style develop from his intense efforts to break free, to give birth to his dream, as demonstrated in his ‘blue period’, putting the past to rest; to this ‘gold period’, a new age of light, of life, of freedom to blossom in every direction with the kind of power, vibrancy, and love which are evident in the over 300 originals Martiros has painted
][ martiros gallery ][ special ][ artists gallery ][