FUNERAL OF RUDOLF KHACHATRIAN TO TAKE PLACE AT CITY PANTHEON OF YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 22, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The governmental commission set up
in connection with the death of People’s Artist of the ASSR Rudolf
Khachatrian issued on August 20 a press release which reads:

"The Armenian painting art suffered a heavy loss: the prominent
Armenian graphic artist, People’s Artist of the Armenian Soviet
Socialist Republic Rudold Khachatrian passed away at the age of 71
in Germany, in a Berlin hospital.

Rudolf Khachatrian was born in Yerevan in 1937. His exceptional
painting abilities became apparent in early childhood, and as far back
as 1955 graphic works of the gifted young man were displayed at various
republican exhibitions where they received special attention. The
inborn artistic gift of the painter developed and improved in the
studio of Yervand Kochar, under Master’s direct supervision. Later,
when studying history of the world and Armenian art and mastering the
experience of old and new painters, R. Khachatrian started developing
gradually his unique style and his own technical manner.

On the whole, the painter’s art formed in the 1960s but it
matured, reached perfection and won wide recogition after 1971 when
R. Khachatrian moved to Moscow. The portraits and still lives of a
small size painted with black or reddish-yellow pencils during this
period are notable for their high-quality technical performance and
the immaculate, classic purity of lines.

Since 1978, certain, although not sharp, changes occured in Rudolf
Khachatrian’s art: the size of his graphic papers increased, along
with pencil, he started to use sepia (light brown ink) and sangina
(reddish crayon), as well as pen and brush. Not only paper but
also white or colored thick cardboard now served as a basis for his
images – something which gave his works a peculiar artistic lustre,
elegance and purity. The painter often dressed his models in old
national costumes, exotic splendid clothes and headgear which give
these images a fine appearance and evoke various histrorical and
literary-artistic associations of viewers.

In 1990, Rudold Khachatrian made a unique attempt to develop the
"space painting" principles of his teacher Yervand Kochar by creating
"objects" from laminated wood or tin which either join each other
orthogonally or revolve on various axes.

R. Khachatrian is also the author of a number of highly artistic
pictures.

His works have been dispalyed in many countries where they have won
prizes and awards. The painter’s personal exhibitions in Moscow (1978,
1984), Liningrad (1979), Odessa (1979) and Yerevan (1980, 1983, 1997)
were held with great success.

The image of the untimely deceased painter who occupies his worthy
place in the history of modern Armenian art will remain in memory of
numerous admirers of his art."

The governmental commission for organization of the funeral of
People’s Artist of the ASSR Rudolf Khachatrian informs that the
body of Rudolf Khachatrian will be brought from Moscow to Yerevan
on August 22. The civil funeral rites are scheduled for August 23,
12 am – 2 pm at Yerevan ‘s Komitas Chamber Music House. The funeral
will take place on the same day at the Yerevan City Pantheon.