Ovsanna Harutyunyan

Where do you live: I currently live in Moscow.
Your education: Academy of Fine Arts, Art College, Art School. Member of the Union of Artists of Armenia. Member of the international organization UNESCO.
Describe your art in three words: “Look – know yourself.”
Your discipline: Magical realism, Surrealism.
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Could you tell us about your journey from studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Yerevan to becoming an internationally recognized artist?  

An artist, in my opinion, should receive professional education but then partly forget much of what they were taught in order to find their own path. Academic education, while providing a solid foundation, often becomes a limitation: some artists remain stuck at the level of their student works, unable to achieve creative progress. To go beyond, one must break free from these chains of knowledge, leaving only their echoes as tools for discovering one’s unique identity.  

My journey included not only studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Yerevan but also attending art schools and college, followed by membership in the Union of Artists, which was not an easy accomplishment at the time. Nevertheless, I joined shortly after graduating from the academy. However, I soon felt the need to free myself once again from all conventions and simply create.  

To achieve financial independence, I began working in interior design. This field helped me expand my perception: painting temporarily transformed into design, where two-dimensional thinking was enriched by a three-dimensional spatial approach. I found it fascinating to conceptualize volumes of space and turn every corner of an interior into an art installation. This experience allowed me to think on a larger scale and integrate art with design. Today, I continue to combine both spheres, and I can say that they complement each other harmoniously.  

At this stage, painting poses new challenges for me. Each piece carries certain mysteries, and the keys to unlocking them are held not only by me but also by the viewer. Interaction with the audience—their interpretations and emotions—is an essential part of my creative process.  

As for the phrase “international recognition,” it does sound a bit grand, but my work does have its admirers. They eagerly anticipate new pieces, share their impressions, offer their interpretations of the narratives, and express a desire to acquire my works. This inspires and motivates me to keep moving forward, exploring new paths and forms of self-expression.

Ovsanna Harutyunyan | False Balance | 2023

How has your Armenian heritage influenced your artistic style and choice of themes?  

When it comes to art, national borders fade away. For me, art is an expression of the universal: a person, an object, an idea, a concept in a global context. However, every artist inevitably carries their own national identity in their DNA, which, when combined with global ideas, creates a unique result.  

My Armenian heritage brings a certain temperament to my work. Vibrant colors, like reflections of the sun and nature of my homeland, coexist with monochromatic elements, which are also often present in my art. However, the bright colors in my work do not always signify celebration, just as the absence of color does not necessarily symbolize despair.  

Armenia is a country that has endured countless trials, falls, and rebirths. This history shapes a philosophical approach to both life and art. These experiences teach one to see beyond the surface, to seek meaning in the details. The events unfolding in my homeland also leave a profound mark on my art. All of this can be seen as a cardiogram, where the lines of life and art intertwine—peaks and valleys as part of the natural order.  

Perhaps color can make the world a little better, bringing harmony to this complex reality? After all, the ultimate purpose of art is to make the world better. It inspires, unites, and opens new perspectives—and in this, I see its highest goal.

Ovsanna Harutyunyan | Fauns (Balance series) | 2023

Your artist statement highlights symbolism as a key element of your work. Could you share an example of how you use symbolism in one of your pieces?  

Symbolism, allegory, and surrealism are concepts that are particularly close to me. I will try to elaborate on these ideas using the example of my recent triptych titled “False Balance.”  

The starting point for this triptych was Eugène Ionesco’s play “Rhinoceros.” In his work, Ionesco described the stages through which any idea, alien to society, can be legitimized. In the 1990s, this concept was formalized into a theory known as the “Overton Window.” According to this theory, any idea, no matter how absurd, can be accepted by society as normal if it passes through six stages: unthinkable, radical, acceptable, sensible, standard, and normal.  

“Rhinoceros” serves as the key to understanding the symbolism of the triptych. However, the main narrative revolves around events that my people have experienced.  

The first piece:  

It depicts a complex, twisted pose of a yogi balancing on a thin rope stretched over a precipice. This symbolizes our desperate attempts to hold on during difficult times. The rope represents the fragility of the situation, and, unfortunately, the outcome is predictable. The rope is held by two pink rhinoceroses using their horns. These rhinoceroses symbolize false ideas and notions, disguised as something safe. The fierce animal, cloaked in a pink hue, appears to “save” the twisted figure, but this is merely an illusion.  

The second piece:  

The yogi, still in the complex *Garudasana* (Eagle Pose), is now balancing on the back of a pink rhinoceros. This moment is ambiguous: have we overcome our fear of falling into the abyss, or have we merely temporarily transferred ourselves onto a dangerous beast, disguised as something harmless? This stage feels like a pause, leaving the future uncertain.  

The third piece:  

It seems the fears have been conquered, and the yogi has reached nirvana. Have we risen above all our problems… or have false ideas fully taken over, infiltrating our consciousness and becoming the norm? If it is the latter, the situation becomes even more troubling. The pink rhinoceroses disappear, replaced by more threatening creatures—pink crocodiles.  

This triptych leaves the viewer in a state of reflection. It raises questions about the manipulation of consciousness, how ideas transform and are accepted by society, and how we respond to these changes. It is both a philosophical and emotional exploration of the collective and individual journey through a complex reality.

Ovsanna Harutyunyan | Balance | 2023

Your artworks are described as puzzles for the viewer to assemble. What reactions or interpretations from viewers have surprised you the most?  

There was a humorous incident involving one of my works—a semi-abstract composition titled “The Strip of Life.” In this piece, I used the symbol of infinity, the inverted number eight. The two circles, formed by human figures, were divided by a black strip.  

Each element of the work carries a specific meaning. The first circle symbolizes the past, the second—the future, and the black strip between them represents the present. However, the black strip doesn’t signify something negative, like a “dark period” in life. Instead, it’s a metaphor for uncertainty. We cannot truly grasp the present moment: the instant we try to capture it, it becomes the future; and as soon as we recognize it, it’s already in the past. In this way, the present is a “draft space”—a state of unknowing.  

When the piece was exhibited, it sparked many interpretations. One that particularly amused me came from my colleagues. In jest, one said it resembled a woman’s chest struggling to escape from a corset; another saw it as a plump owl gazing at the viewer and asking for food.  

These playful interpretations made me smile. Overall, I enjoy it when viewers piece together their own puzzles while interpreting my work. I’m not opposed to the idea that each person’s perception can be entirely unique. While I know that many artists prefer their work to be understood in a specific way, for me, this diversity of perspectives is an essential part of the dialogue between the artist and the audience.  

You explore the relationship between old and new technologies in your art. How do you approach integrating these elements into your works?

Working in the field of design, I inevitably rely on graphic programs to bring my ideas to life. These tools continue to evolve, and I make a point of keeping up with their new features, mastering them through practice. I am inspired not only by the tactile act of drawing a flowing line on canvas but also by the possibilities of creating digital images. At one point, I developed surrealistic furniture and characters in 3D, which remained as visualizations, yet the process itself allowed me to push the boundaries of my creativity.

Today, I find the topic of artificial intelligence particularly fascinating. In design, I am already experimenting with it, leveraging my knowledge to explore new forms. For me, AI is an additional tool in the artist’s arsenal—one that expands creative possibilities and inspires unexpected solutions.

That said, I do not believe artificial intelligence can replace painting or graphic art created by hand. Handcrafted works carry a unique energy and immediacy that no machine can replicate. Ultimately, the artist’s personality, inner world, and unique vision play the most critical role in any creative process. These human elements ensure that art, in all its forms, remains deeply personal and irreplaceable.

Ovsanna Harutyunyan | Call of the forgotten ancestors | 2023

What role does philosophical thought play in the development of your artistic concepts?

At the beginning of my artistic journey, I was inspired by existentialist ideas and the works of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and psychologists like Jung and Hume. These philosophical influences left their mark on my early creations. I sought to craft aphorisms through forms, lines, imagery, and color—expressions that could exist independently of words. This exploration continues to this day, uncovering new dimensions of concepts that can be communicated solely through visual language.

The idea of will and intellect still resonates deeply with me. It inspired one of my works, where half-faces of two individuals are depicted on either side, connected by a thread. A hand, seemingly belonging to the viewer, attempts to break this thread, which symbolizes the connection between consciousness and emotion.

Later came a period of internal reconciliation, yet the search for balance between will and intellect has always accompanied me. Initially, the image of a person rooted in the ground symbolized immobility. Over time, these roots transformed into horns, and the horns evolved into the branches of a faun. This evolution brought a sense of balance achieved through the interweaving of forms.

I understand that each person perceives balance in their own way, and I offer only my interpretation. It is not an attempt to impose, but a desire to share. Still, I feel that deep within our subconscious lies a universal, almost sacred yearning for equilibrium. It is a force that unites us, even though we each express it in our own unique way.