Fresno State News, CA
April 7 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 07, 2006
Contact: Shirley Melikian Armbruster
559.278.5292 or 593.1815
Biographer and author Nouritza Matossian part of Gorky Festival
British author and actress Nouritza Matossian will lecture on 20th
century abstract-expressionist painter Arshile Gorky on Tuesday,
April 18 and perform a play about the artist April 19 at California
State University, Fresno. Those events and several others on campus
are part of the Gorky Festival sponsored by the Fresno Art Museum and
the Armenian Museum.
Matossian, who is a human rights activist in the arts, contemporary
music, history and Armenia, last year published a biography, `Black
Angel, A Life of Arshile Gorky.’ As part of the University Lecture
Series, her topic will be `A Case of Mistaken Identity: Why Arshile
Gorky Changed His Name’ at 7:30 p.m. April 18 at the Satellite
Student Union, 2485 E. San Ramon.
Matossian’s multimedia dramatization will be performed at 8 p.m.
April 19 in the Satellite Student Union, sponsored by the School of
Arts and Humanities. There is no charge for the performance or for
several other Gorky Festival events in which Fresno State is
involved.
The Department of Music has scheduled a concert at 8 p.m. Monday,
April 17, in the Music Building’s Concert Hall, featuring music from
Armenia and tunes popular during the time Gorky spent in New York.
The event is coordinated by Dr. Maria Amirkhanian, a lecturer in
music.
Dr. Laura Meyer, an assistant professor of art history will discuss
`Arshile Gorky: Why Abstraction?’ at 4 p.m. April 18 in the Conley
Lecture Hall.
As part of the festival, the Fresno State Department of Art and
Design is exhibiting student art inspired by Gorky at Fresno City
Hall, 8 a.m-5 p.m. weekdays through Thursday, April 27.
The University Lecture Series is a program of the Office of the
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, with additional
support provided by Coke and James Hallowell, the University Student
Union, Associated Students, KJWL-FM and Piccadilly Inn Hotels.
Tickets are $10 general admission; $6 Fresno State faculty, staff,
Alumni Association members and seniors; $5 elementary and secondary
students; $2 Fresno State students. On April 18, prices increase by
$2 for general admission, faculty, staff and Alumni Association
members.
Information and tickets are available at the University Student Union
Information Center or by calling 559.278.2078. Tickets will be sold
on a space-available basis beginning at 6:30 p.m. April 18 at the
Satellite Student Union Box Office.
