The prince charming of Armenian pop - Armenian Reporter

in France, but he was constantlypulled to drawing. He won manyprizes and during financially difficulttimes, he supported himselfwith his passion by drawing caricaturesand political cartoons forlocal newspapers and magazines.He started to make his mark onthe art world in his early 20s andby the 1940s he was well known inthe field.According to K’eoseyan, Carzoudidn’t belong to any school of art,dabbling in a range of movementsfrom naturalism to cubism, surrealismto imagery and back to thenaturalist art movement.“When we study Carzou’s workin its entirety, we observe that itsevolution – with all the inherenttransmutations – forms a circularcourse, and that the artist oftenreturns to his original point of departure,enriched by maturity, experienceand crystalline profoundnessattained during the decades,”K’eoseyan wrote.But Carzou was most comfortablein naturalism, stemming fromhis belief that nature transcendsman, and that its ability to live onand regenerate is a testament toits profound truth.Most of his work is markedby the presence of women. ForCarzou women represented peaceand the rebirth of mankind, incontrast to the wars and machinescreated by man.“She is everywhere, in every period,the commanding figure, indivisiblefrom Carzou’s universe andits distinctive characteristics. TheCarzou woman . . . More accuratelya goddess,” K’eoseyan explained.Though Carzou was primarily apainter, his art is not limited toworking on canvas. He worked ontextured, unusual surfaces includingporcelain, tapestries, and ceramics.His body of work includes departuresfrom traditional paintingsto illustrating books bywriters including Albert Camus,Shakespeare, Rimbaud, and ErnestHemingway and even helpingdecorate the ocean liner “TheFrance.”Carzou gained instant fame in1952 for his set designs and costumesfor the Comedie Francaiseand the top ballet and opera housesof Paris, including the ParisOpera, and the Harkness DanceCompany of New York.Though he did quite a few stagedesigns, Carzou admitted thatthey took too much time from hisother creative endeavors, so hedecided to return to his paintings.At the age of 81, Carzou completedpainting the walls of achapel in the south of France. Hepainted the Apocalypse of SaintJoan in the Chapel at Monosquein Vaucluse, France. This chapelbecame a tribute to the artistwhen in 1995 it was dedicated asthe Museum de Jean Carzou.He even left an indelible markin the artistic world when in thelate 1930s his work took on color.He created a distinct shade of emeraldblue and later in his careera distinct shade of deep, flamingred, known today as “Carzou Blue”and “Carzou Red” respectively.The artist named one of the 10major painters of his generationin a 1955 survey conducted by theConnaissance des Arts magazinewas primarily influenced by music– especially Armenian music– which inspired him to paint.Carzou had more than 100 soloexhibitions all around the world,including one in 1943 when hesold 30 of his 40 canvases in oneevening.His work was so prominent thatin 1976 he became the first livingartist to have one of his drawingsappear on a French postagestamp.But while his work appealed tothe public, Carzou was not embracedby art critics, according tothe August 2000 obituary in theLondon newspaper, The Independent.La Reine, 1972,oil on canvas65 x 54cm.Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 11/10/2007C17