Yerevan Collectors’ Choice 5: Tatul Arakyan

The Cafesjian Center for the Arts present the exhibition, Yerevan Collectors’ Choice 5: Tatul Arakyan in Gallery One and Eagle Gallery of the Center.

Tatul Arakyan stands out among Armenian collectors. A significant portion of his collection highlights a phase in the history of Armenian arts, often overlooked institutionally. This refers to the underground Soviet art of the post-war era and the legacy of crucial artists from the transitional period of the 1980s and 1990s, predominantly abstract and pop art.

Many of the artists in his collection are now regarded as pillars of Armenian art. Tatul Arakyan's artistic background and ardor for the arts thread throughout this selection. Through his lens, we perceive the evolution of the Armenian fine arts landscape, especially trends that, while prevalent today, remain outside wider public eye. Drawing from global influences, this selection of Armenian pop art and abstraction simultaneously embraces modernity and acknowledges Western culture.

This exhibition, part of the Yerevan Collectors’ Choice series at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, is invaluable for both casual visitors and art professionals. Choosing the most crucial works from Tatul Arakyan's collection is challenging. However, this significant selection showcases early examples from the famous Bobo series by Kiki, rare abstract pieces by Grigor Khachatryan, Raffi Adalyan's abstract experiments from the 1960s, iconic pop art by Arman Grigoryan and Ara Hovsepyan, Karine Matsakyan's pop art canvases from the 1990s, abstractions by Milanda de Mont, and pieces from one of Armenia's most esteemed artists, Hamlet Hovsepyan. It's challenging to list every artist given that the exhibition features around 120 artworks by 32 artists in the Center's Gallery One and Eagle Gallery. However, it is also principal that there also new names in the collection which means the collection is not in stagnation.

For over a decade, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts has aimed not only to showcase private collections through its exhibition series, Yerevan Collectors’ Choice, but also to broaden the general perception of Armenian fine arts. This exhibition furthers that mission. This aligns with Gerard Cafesjian’s vision of making private collections more accessible to the public.

The exhibition will be open to the public from August 25 to November 5, 2023. The admission is free.