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Marcos Gregorian
Painter
Armenian Iranian
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Parents:
1888: Bagrat Gregorian and Shoushanik Mangoian (born in Kars, Armenia, 1888)
Children:
1918: Goharik M. Proulx, born in Kars, Armenia, during the year Armenia was proclaimed Independence
1920: Anderanik Grigorian, born in Kars, Armenia, grew up under horrors of the Armenian Massacre
1923: Family defects to Kropotkin, Russia
1925: Marcos Gregorian born December 5, 1925 Kropotkin, Russia
1930: Family moves to Tabriz, Iran. Mother dies from an unfortunate appendicitis accident. Father, a tailor of Russian military uniforms, switches to civilian tailoring, moves to Tehran, Iran.
1933: Marcos and Andranik attend Armenian school in Tehran.
1935: All minority schools close by order of Reza Shah, founder of Pahlavi Dynasty.
1936: Family moves to Abadan (an Iranian oil refinery town). Sister Goharik marries.
1937: Father remarries, moves to New Julfa, a 17th century Armenian town in Isfahan. Minority schools re-open. Marcos graduates from Kananian school of Julfa.
1940: Family moves back to Tehran. Marcos attends in "American College".
1943: During the Second World War, Marcos works for American military transport school, first student, later as instructor-interpreter. M.T.S., a military camp sending food and ammunition by convoy of trucks to Russia via Tabriz, West-northern city of Iran during that time, Soviet Union, resists war in the battle of Volga grad (later Stalin grad).
1945: Gregorian an all-around athlete. Champion in discus and second place in shut-put and triple jump Champion in weight lifting, lightweight category
1948: Drafted for military service. Starts painting in Kamalolmolk Art School, Tehran Exhibits in group shows.
1950: Resides in Rome. Enrolls Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, Italy. Studies with Professor Roberto Melli Graduates from Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, 1954
1951: One-man exhibition Fiorani Gallery, Rome
1952: One-man exhibition Fiorani Gallery, Rome
International Art exhibit organized by National Tourist Center (E.N.I.T.). First acquisition by E.N.I.T. Rome, "Award"
1953: One-man exhibition Raymond Duncan Gallery, Paris
One-man exhibition Galleria II Pincio, Rome
Annual exhibition Fine Arts Academy in Milan, Italy
Group Exhibition Palazzo Delle Esposizioni, Rome
Acquisition by Artists Association, Rome
1954: One-man exhibition Iran America Society, Tehran
Establishes Gallery Aesthetic in Iran and helps organize exhibitions for many artists.
Opens classes for advanced artists giving them New Directions.
Discovers the only survivors of Iranian Tea-shop painters in Tehran. Calls them the "Troubadour Painters". Troubadour, because they used to sing in loud voices whilst their work was on display
Writes many articles and publishes their work in periodicals focusing public attention on their Folkloric Art.
In particular, Hossein Gollar Aqasi, the epic and love story narrator and metamorphic naive painter. Also, Mohammad Modabber, the bitter one, whose paintings come from his deep religious beliefs.
Later, by H.I.M. Farah Pahlavi's attention, this art from collected and placed in the Museums.
After the fall of Pahlavi Dynasty, the fate of these folkloric Iranian treasures is unknown.
1955: Back to Rome, works and exhibits. Marries Flora Adamian
1956: Daughter Sabrina born on July28, 1956, Rome
First participation, Venice Biennale, "Jury Selection"
Exhibition Museum of Modern Art, Ca Pesaro Venice
One-man exhibition Aesthetic Gallery Tehran Head of Graphic Department, Ministry of Fine Arts, Tehran
For the first time in Iran, introduces dry point, acquaforte and linocut to the students of Fine Arts. Noted students H. Zenderoudi, F. Pilaram and others.
1958: Delegate for Iranian Pavilion Venice Biennale.
International Jury member for Venice Biennale
Founder and organizer of First Tehran-Venice Biennale, sponsored by Ministry of Fine Arts
1959: Stretches twelve panels, 6x10 feet each (120 ft. in total) paint Impressions of the Second World War.
Having been raised in an Armenian family, surviving the Armenian Massacre of 1915, (as an artist) Gregorian tries to express his cry and protest against man's inhumanity to man. Therefore he chooses the inhumanity of German Nazis against the people of Europe, Russia, Poland and most of all, Jews during World War II.
With this mural painting, Gregorian touches his time because he was affected by war. Gregorian cries his own cry. "This is my cry".
1960: Marriage ends in divorce.
Starts acting in movies Leading actor in eight Iranian feature films. "Big City", "Peace before Storm", "the key", "desert Wolf", "White Golf", "Last Passage", "Man in Storm", "Mission Impossible".
While successful actor at the box office in Iran, gives up his acting career, organizes the Holocaust mural exhibition in Missaqie Film studio.
Applies actual earth and ashes to the center of canvas to symbolize man's everlasting existence.
From this time on Earth media becomes an obsession and direction, a new identity for a series of Earthworks that generates future works painted in New York City.
1962: New York City opens a new phase in Gregorian's artistic career. His singular fascination with earth makes him a manipulator of the texture in his works.
Artist Ilsa Getz helps him find a studio at 14th street and university Place.
Works day and night makes enough earthworks to invite art dealers and ask for possible exhibit.
Nothing works right for Marcos Gregorian. Visa expiring, further extension not granted. Karen Vigmostad, in charge of New York's 5th Avenue J. Jensen store sells two of his paintings, another one by Harold Hart, and art dealer at Martha Jackson Gallery.
Marth refuses to give him a show. Sidney Janis, Leo Castelli and all other prominent galleries are busy.
Ivan Karp, an assistant to Leo, reviews slides and photos, likes them but says, "we deal in masculine art". Gregorian mumbles to himself "what could be more masculine than a brick in my work" and walks out of gallery.
Sends resumes and photographs of Holocaust mural to museums. Jewish Museum thinks politically not the time to speak of the Jewish Massacre.
1963: Proposal to teach in Minnetonka Center of Arts ideal everything rolls well in twin city. Teaches three different classes. Opens Universal Galleries and exhibits local artists.
Lectures and exhibits Iranian Folk Art.
1963: "Invitation 1963" exhibits his earthworks at Walker Art Center. Five States Biennale, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minn. Bottega Gallery, Holocaust mural, first time in US.
With the help of many students and public representative Senator Hubert Humphrey, Immigration Office grants him first preference permanent visa.
Daughter Sabrina, seven years old, joins her father in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is no measure in this world that could extend Marcos Gregorian's gratitude to the people of Twin City.
1964: In spite of popularity and success, instinct dictates, he takes the child and moves back to New York City, where challenge and destiny are awaiting him.
Sets up to work in his new studio at Third Avenue and 54th Street. Signs with Jason Gallery to exhibit his Earthworks
Alfred Barr, Jr., in his casual weekly gallery stops, points out three works and suggests it to be taken to the “Museum of Modern Art” committee in New York for viewing.
1965: February 25, 1965, “Museum of Modern Art” acquires one of his Earthworks and exhibits in its “recent Acquisitions 1966”.
1968: Jason Gallery closes down.
Gregorian’s bitter experience with galleries makes him decide not to work with gallery tradition any more. ”Bring the public into your own studio.”
Studio showing becomes very fashionable in New York City. Every six months invites people to preview his latest works and makes his own business and recognition.
1970: Becomes an American citizen.
Invitation as guest professor in Tehran University
Keeps his Third Avenue studio in America and joins the faculty of Fine Arts in Tehran.
1971: One-man exhibition Iran-America Society, Tehran
1973: Retrospective organized by Iran-America Society Tehran. Organizes Independent Artists Group, Exhibition Hall, Tehran
1974: Blue works Independent Artists Group, Exhibition Hall, Tehran
1975: Volume and Environment, Pope Gallery Iran-America Society
One-man exhibition Litho Gallery, Tehran
1976: Volume and Environment II, Saman Gallery, Tehran
1977: One-man exhibition Saman Gallery, Tehran
Acquisition Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
Acquisition Museum of contemporary Art, Kerman, Iran
1978: Major Retrospective Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
“Exhibition cancelled because of the Iranian Revolution”. At opening of Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson Rockefeller admires Gregorian’s Earthworks, Visits his studio, acquires four works and takes them to NY.
In New York they meet again. Rockefeller acquires another Earthwork and donates to Museum of Modern Art in New York.
1979: Loses his new friend and admirer of his work, Nelson A. Rockefeller.
1980: Establishes Gorky Gallery, 1320 Madison Avenue, New York city.
Acquisition, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca, NY
Acquisition, Robert C. Hobbs, Director of Museum of Art, Iowa
1981: One-man exhibition Gorky Gallery, New York, NY
1984: One-man exhibition Earthworks and Installations, Gorky Gallery, NY
1985:One-man exhibition Earthworks and Installations, Gorky Gallery, NY
1986: June10, 1986 Sabrina, his beloved daughter, dies from a massive heart attack.
1987: Gregorian with the help of his Nephew, Vahe, starts weaving Urartian-Armenian patterned rugs.
1989: September 10-20, Invitation Visit to Moscow and Leningrad by Union of Artists.
1990: Extended invitation for One-man Exhibition in Moscow and Yerevan.
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