Two canvases from Ruben Amirian’s 38-part series, “Homage to Mesrop Mashtots,” which was donated to the Armenian Museum of America by Joan Agajanian Quinn in 2023.
Joan Agajanian Quinn recently announced that she is donating a series of paintings by Ruben Amirian to the collection of the Armenian Museum of America. “Homage to Mesrop Mashtots” contains 38 separate abstract paintings representing the letters of the Armenian alphabet. Each canvas is 12.5 by 16.5 inches. Assembled altogether, the series extends to an impressive 12 feet wide by four feet high. One of Ruben’s paintings is included in the “Discovering Takouhi” exhibition of Armenian artists, which will be on display through Spring 2023.
“Our family is honored and excited about the exhibitions at the Museum. As a Trustee, I am proud of the way the Museum offers Armenian art that spans from ancient times to medieval, and all the way to the modern era,” explains Quinn. “My hope was to attract more interest in the galleries and to offer something new to show from our family’s collection, which has not been widely seen or exhibited. I am also happy to expand the Museum’s collection of modern artists with this gift.”
Ruben Amirian left Iran in 1962 for the US to continue his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Howard University. Ruben pursued his love of art by taking courses in drawing and art history. The National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery, and other galleries became a second home where he was introduced to works by Richard Diebenkorn, Philip Guston, Edward Hopper, and others. He maintains a studio practice in Glendale.
Joan Agajanian Quinn and Artist Ruben Amirian in 2022.