Armenians Who Have Changed the Art of the United States

1. Arshile Gorky (April 15, 1904 – July 21, 1948). Gorky was one of the founders of “abstract surrealism.” He is considered one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. His paintings are exhibited in all the largest galleries of the US, France, the UK, Italy, and Australia. Among the works showcased around the world are “Landscape in the manner of Cezanne”, “Self-portrait”, “Organization”, “Composition”, “Garden in Sochi”, “Artichoke leaf as an owl”, and many others.

2. Michel Mossessian (born 11 November 1959). Mossessian was the chief architect of the headquarters of NATO, Interpol, and the World Bank. Mossessian was 20 times recognized as the best architect in the United States and 13 times in Europe.

Mossessian has completed his master’s studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Today, Mossessian is one of the most sought-after specialists in the world. In 2010, he led a team of architects who worked at the headquarters of ExxonMobil Corporation in Shanghai.

3. Mihran Mesrobian (May 10, 1889 – September 21, 1975). Mesrobian was the chief architect of the Roosevelt Library Headquarters. Together with Gary Wurdeman, he developed and headed the project for the central street of Washington, DC. In 1927, he developed a project for the construction of the largest hotel in the district, Hay-Adams Hotel. He is recognized as one of the greatest architects in the United States’ history.

4. Dikran Kelekian (December 27, 1867 – January 1951). Kelekian was a famous artist and collector. The Kelekian collection of antique works is still considered the richest in the United States. In 1900, he organized the largest exhibition at that time in Paris, where not only rare exhibits were showcased but also the works of the collector himself.

In 1925, Kelekian won a lawsuit regarding all the Armenian cultural exhibits of Van and Erzurum from Turkey. He was a member of the Central Board of Directors of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). As a member of the organization, he established a department responsible for the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage.

5. Haig Patigian (January 22, 1876 – September 19, 1950).Patigian is regarded as the best sculptor of the US of the 20th century. He is known for having been the president of the Bohemian Club, one of the most elite private aristocratic clubs in the US. His most famous works are the sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, Helen Rork, and William McKinley.

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