The Artists

JAMES YAROSH ASSOCIATES FINE ART
REPRESENTING VACHAGAN NARAYZAN SINCE 1997

DISCOVERING VACHAGAN NARAZYAN
as published in the 1999 artist catalog "Vachagan Narazyan - Absurd Travel."

Rarely does a gallery owner come upon art work that he truly falls in love with. My encounter with the work of Vachagan Narazyan had such an effect on me when I first viewed his paintings at a show in New York in the spring of 1997. My reaction was completely emotional. I was taken by the paintings- their exquisite texture and magical quality- and drawn into the fantasy world the artist had created. At the time, I knew little about Narazyan or the history of Nonconformist Art of the former Soviet Union. I simply knew that I had to own one of these paintings for my personal collection, and that i had to make arrangements to acquire more for my gallery.

Narazyan's representive, Dimitri himself an artist, was at the show and I introduced myself to him as a fellow artist and gallery owner. We discussed Narazyan's work at length, commenting on the artist's command of the medium and consistency of vision. A mutual respect was developing between us, and I expressed my interest in having my gallery represent Narazyan.

By this time, all of Narazyan's smaller paintings in the show had been sold, and only two large paintings remained. The show was about to close, Dmitri was returning to the Ukraine the next day, and I had to decide which one to purchase- quickly. What could I do? I bought both of them and arrangedfor more to be sent to my gallery from the Ukraine.

As I awaited the new paintings, I decided to find out more about the historical significance of the Nonconformist Art Movement. I discovered that the Zimmerli Art Museum, in nearby East Brunswick, was home to a permanent collection of 10,000 works of dissident Soviet artists. I visited the collection and immersed myself in the study of this repressive yet enormously creative period of Soviet history. My instincts had been right- Narazyans' art was indeed something special.

By the fall, the shipment of Narazyan's work had arrived, and I called several of my clients to preview the paintings before they debuted at a charity art event at my gallery. The response was immediate and emotional. People related to the intimate nature of the compositions and were amazed at the way the artist was able to combine an old-world feeling with a glimpse of the future. Truly extraordinary.

Supporting and developing the work of talented artists is one of the most important and rewarding aspects of gallery ownership. I am proud to have the paintings of Vachagan Narazyan represented at my gallery and delighted to have been asked to participate in this publication for his work.

James Yarosh
Owner of James Yarosh Associates, A fine art and design gallery in Holmdel, New Jersey, USA