Here on the Bosporus
An Armenian-American poet honeymoons in Istanbul
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June 25, 2010
Glendale/Pasadena Chapter's Cultural Committee Organizes Exhibit of Paintings by Ruben and Alexandra Manukyan
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A view of the Pasadena exhibit of paintings by Ruben and Alexandra Manukyan at Boyajian Hall in the AGBU Pasadena Center in Pasadena, California.
Pasadena, Calif. – An exhibit of paintings by Ruben and Alexandra Manukyan took place on May 14-16, 2010 at Boyajian Hall in the AGBU Pasadena Center, with sponsorship from the cultural committee of the AGBU Glendale/Pasadena chapter. The father-daughter duo delighted art enthusiasts as opening night buzzed with energy.
Most of the works on exhibit were oil paintings; there were also six watercolors and 14 mixed-media works on canvas. Abstract, impressionistic, and realistic styles were represented among the 64 total pieces.
Ruben Manukyan belongs to a generation of artists who developed their style in Yerevan during the 1960s and '70s and exhibited on the international stage. His work has been exhibited in Addis Ababa, Beirut, Los Angeles, Paris, and Toronto. In an interview with Sarkis Majarian prior to the opening of the exhibit, which was published in the May 25, 2010 issue of Nor Hayastan daily, Ruben remarked, "Apparently there's something in my soul that I can't outwardly express … I don't like dark colors," said the painter of his work. "The colors come directly from within me, and apparently I'm a product of Armenia. I've grown up under the Armenian sun, drunk our water. You could say that the colors of Armenia's mountains, trees and flowers have influenced me."
His daughter, Alexandra Manukyan, is a graduate of the Kojoyan Art Institute in Yerevan, and also attended the Architecture and Art School of the Union of Architects of Armenia. She has shown her paintings in Russia, Germany, and the United States. In the aforementioned interview, she commented, "I feel color like music, and just as there are notes in music from which a harmonious symphony is created, likewise for me every color is a note, and you must gather them in such a way that they don't make cacophony but form music that is very pleasing to the ear," she said of her own choices. Along with her paintings, she also presented a collection of painted silk pillows and lamp shades with different motifs and color schemes.
Both artists were grateful to the AGBU Glendale/Pasadena Chapter for providing them with the opportunity to share their art with the Armenian-American community in Los Angeles. "I am humbled and touched by the warm and overwhelming reception we have experienced. The dedication and commitment that AGBU devotes to the world of art and culture is admirable," said Ruben Manukyan.
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