Biography


       1914  – Born, Surmalu, Igdir
A large number of researches, articles, monographs and dozens of films are dedicated to Eduard Isabekyan. Since 1941 participated in group exhibitions and all decades.
      A separate hall is allotted to Eduard Isabekyan’s permanent exhibition in The National Gallery of Armenia (a total number of his works retained there is 121). His paintings are stored in many prestigious museums and private collections. 
Eduard Isabekyan was elected as an honorary chairman of “Igdir” patriotic union for the term of his life.
      During his lifetime the Municipality of Yerevan made a decision to establish a permanent exhibition hall (gallery) for Isabekyan’s art.
1952- Joins the communist party
2005- Eduard Isabekian is living and working in the Armenian village, Ashtarak
2007- August 17 Eduard Isabekyan died. Buried in Komitas pantheon
2013- May 3 Isabekyan  Art Gallery opened /Mashtots 7a/
1927-1931 Attended “Geghard” college where he received his first professional education taught by practicing artists Sedrak Arakelyan, Vahram Gayfedjian (painting), Gohar Fermanyan (graphic).
1935-41 Studies in the Art Academy of Tbilisi, Georgia

The creative activity
       Isabekyan is a multi-genre artist. He created extensive and high value compositional paintings, portraits, landscapes, graphics, thematic compositions, book designs.
       The basis of his art is humanism and deep patriotism, the sources of his inspiration are Armenian insights, which are expressed in the characters of Sasuntsi Davit, Tsovinar, Sanasar, Baghdasar, David Beck, Sayat Nova, Aksel Bakunts, Tamantsiner and other characters of great national figures. During the Great Patriotic War he depicted the heroic image of Soviet people (“Battle for a city”, 1942, “Tanya”, 1946), national liberation struggle of the Armenian people (“David Beck”, 1945).
      Eduard Isabekyan was the founder of thematic compositional genre in Armenia. The basis of his art is the history of Armenian nation and its future, its proud posture and the ecstatic potential. Isabekyan’s works of thematic compositional genre are the achievement of Armenian fine art of the Soviet period. “Young David” (1956, The National Gallery of Armenia), “The Revolt of Haghpat Peasants in 1903” (1957), “Reply to Hazkert” (1960, The National Gallery of Armenia) and other paintings distinguish by their monumental expressiveness, dynamic composition and civic resonance.
       A number of Isabekyan’s paintings are characterized by organic intercourse of a man and the native nature: “Old Man from Byurakan and the Artavazik Church” (1956), “Aksel Bakunts” (1956), “Derenik Demirtchyan” (1960), “Curly Boy” (1964), “Sayat Nova” (1964). One of the best examples of Armenian portraiture of Soviet period is the “Mother’s portrait” painting (1944).
The thematic center of his landscapes is the epic description of Armenian nature, ancient fortresses and temples: “In the Canyon of Tatev” (1959), “The Oxen Crossing the River by the Bridge” (1959), “Khndzoresk” (1962).
Many paintings are distinguished by artistic saturation: “Horovel” (1956, The National Gallery of Armenia), “Near the well” (“They didn’t come back”, 1965), “In the shade of the trees” (1966), “Artavazd’s death” (1966). The illustrations of Derenik Demirchyan’s “Vardananq” and Sero Khanzadyan’s “Mkhitar Sparapet” novels are also commonly known. In addition, Isabekyan is the author of a number of drawings and the series of graphics devoted to painter Arpenik Nalbandyan.
1931-35 Worked as the artist for the newspapers “Pioneer Kanch,” “Avant-garde” and “The Soviet Armenia,” and produced the cover pages
1941 – Becomes a member of the Armenian Artists Union
1943 – Goes to the army, 89 in the Armenian Section as an artist
1945- Starts to teach in Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts.
1954-56- Artists Union- becomes the head of the painting department
1967-87-Becomes the director of the National Gallery of Armenia
Opens the National Gallerys’ affiliate Galleries around Armenia
1970 – Echmiadzin
1972 – Jermuk
1973 – Hrazdan
             -Yerevan /Ara Sargsyan-Hakob Kojoyan/
1974 – Vanadzor
1978 – Gyumri
1978 – Martuni
1979 – Eghegnadzor
1980 – Jajur /Minas Avetisyan/
1987 – Alaverdi

Exhibitions
1947- 1st Personal exhibition, Yerevan.
1965- Personal exhibition celebrating his 50th birthday, Yerevan.
1966- Personal exhibition, Tbilisi.
1983- Personal exhibition, Rabat, Marocco.
1984 – Moscow.
1985- Personal exhibition, Yerevan, Echmiadzin.
1988 – Personal exhibition, Moscow.
1994 – Personal exhibition, Aleppo.
1994- Personal exhibition, Yerevan.
1996- Personal exhibition, USA, LA.
2004- Personal exhibition, Yerevan
2006 – Personal exhibition, “Academy” Gallery, Yerevan
2009- Personal exhibition, Yerevan.
2014- 100th anniversary, Yerevan.

Awards
1956- Announced the honored worker of arts.
1963- Announced the national artist of Armenia
          – Is awarded the title «Professor».
2001-   Is awarded the «Mesrop Mashtots» medal by the Armenian Catholicos
2002- Becomes an honorable citizen of Yerevan
2004- Is awarded the «St.Sahak-St.Mesrop» medal by the Armenian Catholicos

 

      2023    The 8th street of Nork in the Nork-Marash administrative district of Yerevan was named “Eduard Isabekyan Street” in honor of the artist, People’s Artist of the Armenian SSR Eduard Isabekyan.