British Embassy Yerevan
34 Baghramian Avenue
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Maria Sadoyan
Communications Manager
Email: maria.sadoyan @fco.gov.uk |
Tel: +374 (010) 26 43 01 | FTN: 8339 2240 | Fax: +374 (010) 26 43 18 |
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Young Armenian artist exhibits in London

On October 22, Her Majesty’s Ambassador Charles Londsdale hosted a
reception for Armenian artist Arshak Sarkissian. The event, marked
Sarkissian’s forthcoming departure for London, where he will attend
the opening of an exhibition of his recent works. Present at the
Ambassador’s reception were family and friends of Sarkissian, local
artists and art patrons, as well as representatives of museums, and
the Ministry of Culture.

"Meeting and getting to know artists has been one of the greatest
pleasures and inspirations for me in Armenia, and that certainly
includes Arshak’, said HMA Charles Lonsdale. `It’s incredibly hard for
artists to get shown in the UK, so it’s a real tribute to Arshak’s
achievements and talent that he has secured this show at a very
serious gallery in London. We wish Arshak enormous personal success
with this show, but I hope it can also pave the way for other Armenian
artists to become better known in the UK and to arouse interest in
Armenia more generally."

Sarkissian’s much-anticipated London show will open on November 5 at
Albemarle Gallery. He will share billing with renowned Italian master
Luigi Benedicenti. The exhibition will be open through November 28.

`It is an honor to receive the moral support of Ambassador Londsdale,’
Sarkissian said. `Encouragement of this order means the world to an
artist. I am profoundly moved by this gesture, and also very grateful
to Albemarle Gallery for exhibiting my latest works.’

A native of Gyumri, Armenia, Sarkissian has earned critical and
popular acclaim for his signature expressionistic paintings and
sculptures. The recipient of his country’s Presidential Gold Medal for
Fine Arts, he is widely regarded as the visual poet of Yerevan’s youth
culture.

Sarkissian is also noted for a number of high-profile cultural
projects, including his redesign of a section of the Zvartnots
International Airport terminal. Since 1999 his works have been
exhibited throughout the world. Most recently he completed a residency
at New York’s Art Omi International.

To learn more about Arshak, please visit