Edman Ayvazyan: Armenian who did not lose his identity in a foreign country

Alpha News continues to present famous Armenian personalities in “Alpha Persona”.

Edman Ayvazyan was born in Tehran at the time when there were no Armenian schools. The young boy, following the principles of his family and respecting tribal traditions, was trying to learn Armenian by himself. Ayvazyan’s love for painting was manifested at an early age. The artist told how carefully he studied the paintings of Repin, Serov, Ayvazovsky, Cézanne and Picasso.

Edman Ayvazyan moved to Europe and entered the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, where he earned numerous medals and prizes from art competitions and received invitations to participate in various exhibitions. In addition to paintings and landscapes, he mastered graphics, studied calligraphy and created architectural projects. The artist loved the marine theme.

“How many hours have I spent near the sea, contemplating and silently following it in my soul”, he said.

During the last years of his life, Edman Ayvazyan settled in Great Britain, where he was holding four to five exhibitions a year as part of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA). Moreover, Edman Ayvazyan was the interior designer of several Armenian churches in Europe and Saint Sarkis Armenian Cathedral in Tehran. Ayvazyan depicted David of Sassoun and the works of Hovhannes Tumanyan as well as numerous portraits and seascapes. His works can be found in various churches and museums.