Artist Spotlight - Atom Hovhanesyan

Artist Spotlight - Atom Hovhanesyan

ContemporaryArtCurator
Contemporary Art, Painting

Biography

Atom Hovhanesyan was a self-taught artist that worked and lived in New York. He was born in Armenia on August 19, 1981. At three weeks, he and his mother traveled to Algeria, to join his father who was a Professor in Ain Taya, near the capital, Algiers. He grew into a healthy and happy toddler, in an idyllic middle-class community on the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by his parents and sister, in a community of Soviet specialist on official assignment in Algeria.

Study after Giorgione's Sleeping Venus, 2017. Oil on canvas, 76 x 122 cm

Early in Atom’s formative years, it quickly became apparent that he was an extremely serious, sensitive, and inquisitive child. He displayed extraordinary compassion towards his classmates and peers and often attracted the attention of other parents due to the compassion and kindness he showed to everyone.

Fall Landscape With Two Trees, 2018. Oil on canvas, 76 x 102 cm

In 1983, Atom and his family returned to Armenia, where he completed his primary and secondary education. Atom’s childhood followed a normal course: he loved soccer and tennis and excelled in his studies of literature, geography, history, and biology. It was during this time that his interest in drawing developed.

Grace, 2016. Oil on canvas, 51 x 41 cm

It was a period of extreme optimism and stability for the family. Unfortunately, this optimism in Armenia was eclipsed by a devastating natural disaster, war, the collapse of the Soviet Union and economic instability.

Wheat field with Cypress, 2015. Oil on canvas, 76 x 102 cm

In 1997, just as Atom graduated from high school at age 16, his family received final Embassy approval for immigration to the United States. That same year Atom enrolled at New York University to study English and began a part time job at a national restaurant chain. In 1998, Atom applied and was accepted at St. John’s University where he studied Economics while continuing to work in the restaurant industry where he excelled and quickly moved into key management positions in both the New York and Los Angeles restaurant market.

Study after Leonardo's Burlington Cartoon, 2016. Pen on paper, 76 x 56 cm 

Atom relocated from Los Angeles to New York in 2009 and began painting-- the passion of his childhood and youth. Initially, the focus was on getting a feel for applying paint on canvas. His first paintings were abstract. He then began to paint portraits and landscapes. A considered and methodical autodidact, he busied himself with the study of anatomy, perspective, effects of light, color theory, art history, and the works of the Old Masters and the Modern Masters.

Bound, 2016. Oil on canvas, 102 x 76 cm

Between 2013 and 2017, Atom studied at the Art Students League of New York and the National Academy of New York. He continued to develop his unique Post-Divisionism style, working in oils and ink. Atom Hovhanesyan created over 250 pieces of art before losing his battle with depression in May 2018. He was 36 years old.

Standing Woman, Homage to Giacometti, 2016. Oil  on canvas, 206 x 102 cm

Artist Statement

ATOM HOVHANESYAN

NY based artist since 2009, working primarily in oil and ink. Studied at the Art Students League, National Academy of NY and Grand Central Academy. Traditional choice of materials and medium, grind my own colors. In the abstract works: my goal is to create a unified atmosphere and sense of luminosity. Bits and pieces of forms from memory are utilized as building blocks for constructing the composition. There is no narrative or a specific reading, more of an epilogue that's open to interpretation, I'm trying to create a space complex enough and compelling enough to act as a point of departure, while retaining the often accidental mystery and painterly energy.

Memory, 2016. Oil on canvas, 122 x 92 cm

“Through Division to Expression”

Influenced by post impressionism with cubist approach to composition. The goal here is to utilize the whole surface of the support challenging the viewer’s perception of negative space. Essentially divisionist, the figure/composition is woven in to the fabric of the plane and space warps in to the figure. In the painting process repetitive almost automatic application of the crosshatched lines allows the subconscious the opportunity to direct the composition, there is a tension between the desire to hide vs. the need to reveal, conflict between subconscious and self-conscious.

Melancholy, 2017. Oil on canvas, 122 x 76 cm

Drawings in ink: Worked with ink with the same approach, because of the fine lines unique to this medium and the texture that arises from multiple built up layers of cross hatched lines allowed me to focus on light and texture and the feel of the drawings ended up being quite different from the paintings.

Woman 4 (With Lantern), 2015. Oil on canvas, 122 x 76 cm

“LINE, PATTERN IN CHAOS”

Ink drawings. The seemingly chaotic application of lines ( cross hatches) is intentional, I'm trying to follow in line of the post divisionist paintings, creating a unified fabric of the plane, modeling with parallel hatch marks would go against this, and would make it more of a plastic approach, and would emphasize the distinction of background foreground. In short I'm trying to arrive at impressionistic use of ink as the medium with surreal or symbolic mindset.

Portrait of St. Vincent, 2017. Oil on canvas, 61 x 92 cm

“In regards to abstract paintings”:

moved towards less of a painterly and more of an atmospheric approach trying to move from focus on the process, to being more aware of design, balance of composition/line, influenced by Gorky and De Kooning.

Madonna, 2016. Pen on paper, 79 x 58 cm

Moreover attempting to incorporate a “storyline” or a path that the eye would take through the painting, not so much in a sense of a narrative but bits and pieces of thoughts or emotions/memories, at times accidental , at times directed consciously, unified in one mood or an atmosphere providing a kind of epilogue that’s open to interpretation.

Untitled 1, 2018. Oil on canvas, 61 x 46 cm

Ballerina, 2017. Oil on canvas, 122 x 76 cm

Black Monk, 2014. Oil on canvas, 76 x 122 cm

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