Karen Aghamyan

“If you don’t get inspired by something, you will never paint. The Artist (if, of course, he is not a mere copyist if not a genuine artist) is constantly seizing inspiration. If you look at life with interest, life looks back at you in the same way. Thus, you always have themes to express. “

Karen Aghamyan

The Artist was born in Yerevan in 1946. In 1964, he finished P. Terlemezian Art College, and in 1969, he graduated from Fine Art Institute.

In different years, he taught at the Yerevan Institute of Fine Art and Theatre. To this day, he has been teaching at Khachatur Abovian Armenian State Pedagogical University, Chair of Painting. 

He has earned membership in several international organisations, as well as a variety of awards and titles. Since 1974, he has been a member of the Artists’ Union of the USSR. In 1980, he earned the award of the Young Armenian Communists’ League, 

Between 1981 and 1983, he was the leading Artist of the Gained Art of Armenia,

In 1982, he received the Diploma of Fine Art Academy of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia,
In 1986, he became an assistant lecturer at the Yerevan Institute of Fine Art and Theatre,
Between 1982 and 1988, he was elected as a member of the administrative board of the Union of Artists of the USSR,
In 1988, he became a member of the Designers Union of the USSR,
Between 1988 and 1993, he was the Head of the Fine Art and Design Department of Design, and in 1990, he was named by the Higher Attestation Committee in Moscow professor of the Institute of Theatre (currently, the State Academy of Fine Art).

In 1991, he became a professor at the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Art,
In 1998, he was elected President of the Union of Artists of Armenia.
In 2000, he was the manager of the pavilion “Armenia” at EXPO 2000 (Hanover, Germany),
In 2004, he became a member of the Cultural Council of the President of the Republic of Armenia,
In 2005, he became an Honorary Artist of the Republic of Armenia,

In 2010, he was elected as an honorary member of the Academy of Arts of Russia,
In 2011, he was named an honorary professor of the International University of Soka Gakkai in Japan,
In 2014, he was the President of the International Confederation of Artists,
Since 2018, he has been the Head of the Chair of Fine Art at the Armenian State Pedagogical University.

Between 1998 and 2018, he was the President of the Union of Artists of Armenia.

The Artist has had solo exhibitions at “Villa Ikhon” gallery in Germany, “Gallery - 100” in Paris, “ABF” gallery in Marseille, “Ex-point” gallery in Prague, “Athena” and “Novetel” galleries in Toulouse, the gallery “Gala” in Magdeburg, the gallery “Star” in Berlin, the gallery “Adonis” in Brussels, as well as solo exhibitions at the National Library of Beijing and in a variety of different places.

Karen Aghamyan’s works are on permanent exhibition in Armenia, at the Gallery of Contemporary Art, National Art Gallery, and Vanadzor museum, as well as in Russia – in the museums in Magnitogorsk, Novy-Urengoy, in France – in Toulouse Contemporary Art Museum, in China – in Hefei Museum.

His works are kept in cultural funds and deposits in Armenia and Russia as well as in private collections all over the world. 
Karen Aghamyan has authored a number of successful projects in the sphere of design.

Since 1970, he has been participating in over 300 national and international exhibitions – in Armenia, Russia, Hungary, Cuba, the USA, France, Germany, Belgium, China and other countries.