The monumentalist sculptor

The monumentalist sculptor
By Armine Ghazarian

Yerkir/arm
May 13, 2005

We all know the statues of Mother Armenia, Sasuntsi David, Tork
Angegh and we also know who their authors are. However, not many
people know that the monumentalist sculptors of those statues are
Armenian craftsmen living and working next to us.

One of them, Nerses Charkhchian, had his personal exhibition at
Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts. 23 works were presented at the
exhibition including the Beer Lover, Wreath, Girl Playing Violin and
other works. There were also some khachkars (cross-stones) and other
items. This is Charkhchian’s second exhibition. The first was held
in 1982 in Vilnius.

“The purpose of the exhibition is to present works made of
copper. Unfortunately, copper sculpture is no longer used widely in
Armenia,” Charkhchian says adding that because of this, sculptors
working with copper do not have many students. There are only 2-3
monumentalist sculptors working with copper in Armenia.

Nerses Charkhchian was born on 1952 in Ararat region. In 1972 he
graduated from the sculpture department of Yerevan Fine Arts College.
He has been working at Yerevan Sculpture Center as monumentalist
sculptor. He is the author of statues of Tork Angegh, Vahagn, Mountain
Dance and other works. He has many works in foreign countries. He is
an honorable citizen of Vilnius.