Minas Avetisyan

“An artist blindly copying nature is like a Sexton who mumbles a prayer without knowing its meaning.”

Minas Avetisyan was born in 1928 in the village of Jajour (now located in the Shirak Region). He got his professional education at Panos Terlemezian Art College, then he studied at Yerevan State Art and Theatre Institute. After it, he moved to Leningrad Academy of Arts after I. Repin and graduated from it in 1960.

Minas Avetisyan was one of the most distinguished figures of the second half of 20th-century Armenian painting. Juxtaposition of bright and reserved colors, artistic features of native land, and its essential expressiveness were peculiar to his art.

Minas was a multi-genre artist. He created compositions depicting the Armenian rural environment, landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. He was also the artist of twenty unique frescoes. The roots of his painting went deep into Armenian miniature.

The artist proved to be best in painting and graphic art, in fresco painting, and scenography. Though his creative activity lasted only 15 years (1960-1975), nevertheless he left an indelible impression on the history of Armenian painting.

Minas died in 1975 in Yerevan.

by Nouné Yeranosian