By
Armena Ishkanian
NEW
YORK, NY Galust Orduyan is a 49-year-old immigrant Ar-
menian artist from
Rus-
sia, whose work conveys
a message of hope and promise to all who
have
the privilege of seeing and being touched by it. He is
a man who
is as full of life, beauty and passion as the long stem rose he brought with him
to our interview. He exudes courage and optimism that is instantly
a jewel
to those around him. Galust was born
in the Caucasus. He
lived in Russia from 1963 until 1992, when he came to
the United States.
Before immigrating, Galust was the director of the Children's
Art Studios of the Professional Union system in Moscow, as
well as a Professor
of Art for Gifted Children. Ga-
lust feels very strongly that children are
the greatest artists; that we need to support them and help them remain motivated,
creative and goal-oriented. He feels that by investing time in supporting children,
we are "putting money in the bank" for our future. He
believes that the best way to teach a child is to treat him/her as an equal. He
also feels that it is
|
essential to teach child-ren to
be free, in thought
in terms of exploration
and creativity.
His
son Gregory, is a
key to the inspiration which Galust provides for the children
he influences. Galust considers his son to be his best pupil. Gregory, who is
22, began painting at the age of 3. He atten-
ded the Institute of Visual Arts, and then the Art Institute of Television, in
Moscow. H is cartoons appear on Russian televi-
sion, and his illustrations
appear in children's books. Gregory and Galust share a mutual respect for
one another's art, arid enjoy working together often. Some of his artwork was
displayed along side his father's at the Armenian Student's Associations Artists'
Ball on June 15
at the Puck building in Manhattan. The show
was put
together in order to show case the talent of Armenian artists. This an-
nual
event began in 1947.
When I asked Galust about his art
work, he explained that "it's like a message for people who need some hope."
The Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights has recently purchased a mosaic Galust
created of Gregory, which |
Artist Galust Orduyan in front of several of
his art works which were displayed at the ASA Artists' Ball on June 15.
| | they
plan to hang so that it can be seen the instant one enters their office. Barbara
Becker, who is a lawyer for the Com-
mittee and assisted Ga-
lust
in applying for asylum, commented that the Committee purchas-
ed
the mosaic because it is an "inspiration for other people fleeing from their
own countries to come into the office and see a symbol of such hope." Becker
also said that Galust "came in with the mosaic, and it was sold instantly".
Becker spoke of the possibility of using the mosaic on the cover of a brochure
or annual report for the Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights.
| Galust's
work has been featured at Gregory's Chateau Hip Gallery Street in Manhattan,
or the front of Turkish Cuisine Restaurant at 44th Street, at Bendix Diner and
Gallery at 8th Avenue, Gallery "33" on Broadway, and at the Liliana
and Gregory Art Gallery on 7th Avenue in Brooklyn, among others. He is scheduled
to exhibit in several galleries in New York in September, and then in Paris in
October. For anyone who would like to experience Galust Orduyan's work today,
stop by Paradise Muffin Coffee Shop, at 8th Avenue and 11th Street, where there
is a collec-
tion of his mosaics. |
|
