Interview by Amarildo Topalis
Tigran Tsitoghdzyan, an Armenian artist based in New York, showed his artistic talent from a very young age, exhibiting internationally at just 10 years old. He received formal arts training at the Yerevan Fine Arts Academy in Armenia, followed by studies in Switzerland. After working in Europe and South Africa, he eventually settled in New York City in 2009. His surreal artworks have captivated audiences and art critics worldwide, and he openly expresses his desire to showcase his art in Greece.
You always pass many different messages through your artwork, what is it that you want to “be heard” mostly through your art?
My messages vary depend of the work, or I should say the series of works.. And it’s more of a questions then answers. I don’t give any responds to the spectators not to limit them with only my own vision of thing, but stimulating their imagination and inviting them to a reflection around the subject. Try to keep it visually as simple but the same way
The motto of our magazine is “look inside you” and all the guest artists we are hosting on our covers are shown with closed eyes. What is your motto, if you have one of course?
I’m observing the world around to find the answers about myself.
What is your cultural inheritance from your homeland Armenia? Is there any “print” of this inheritance, which people cannot see directly when they look at your work?
Armenia has a very old and reach culture, but today it doesn’t stand where we would like it to be.. So my “Armenian Mirror” is an image of and old lady marked by the years of the long life but she is covering her face with her hands as today. But the same time I was looking to paint her the way that any armenian will identify her as his own grandmother and feel the warmth coming from her.
Did your course in Europe gave you a boost to America or your talent was enough to open the doors to the American art market?
Actually I start showing in US very young. First time it was at age of 10 when my first solo show with 103 oils in Yerevan (children Art Museum, curated by Henrik Iguityan) splitter in 2 parts and continued to some few cities of USA. The other half was shown in Spain. Then I came to NYC with a solo show at age of 14yo. But my childhood “career” was disconnected from me as an adult, and I started all over again after my students years. Europe definitely gave me a big boost, but it was more for myself as an artist. I had to start from zero in NYC in 2009 if we are talking about the career.
You named your last exhibition “Mirrors”, why did you choose this title?
“Mirrors” because its about how we see ourself, how we want to be seen, how we manipulate our self image throw social networks, filters, photoshop. And what do we hide when we show only one angle vision of ourselves. It’m more related to females, the reason I paint only them in this series.
Have you ever consider doing an exhibition in any Athenian or in another Greek museum?
I would love to! I have never shown to Greek public, and would love to be there with my works one day.
What is your next step?
I’m preparing now a show in Geneva in October, then few art fairs, ending up this year with Art Basel Miami.
Next step I would love to do more of museum shows. Take a particular subject and work around it for the particular space. I have few shows planned for next 2 years.
Website: http://www.ttigran.com/
Facebook: Tigran Tsitoghdzyan
Instagram: @tigrantsi
Photo courtesy of the Artworks by Tigran Tsitoghdzyan
