Biography
Born in Beirut in 1973, Yedalian is a Lebanese-Armenian painter and sculptor. He studied etching at the Academie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts “ALBA”, and fine arts at the Academy of Fine Art Toros Roslin. He is a member of the Lebanese Artists Association of Painters and Sculptors and a member of the Artists Union of Armenia. He was a Fine Arts instructor at Haigazian University of Beirut from 2006 till 2020.
He was awarded the “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Gold Medal at the XIIth Florence Biennale 2019, for his painting installation “Reflection of an Enigmatic Mind” dedicated to the fifth centenary of Leonardo Da Vinci’s death. And in 2013 he was a Prize winner at the competition of the Age of Bronze at the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum “MACAM”, Alita, Lebanon.
Yedalian’s work has been showcased in: Volta Basel (Switzerland), Moderne Art (France), Art 15 London (UK), XIIth Florence Biennale (Italy), Red Dot Miami (USA), Modern Art Museum of Yerevan (Armenia), Beirut Art Fair (Lebanon), Contemporary Art Platform CAP (Kuwait), Art Week Dubai (UAE), Armenia Art Fair (Armenia), Armenian Genocide Museum (Yerevan), International Print Festival Life N Style (Georgia).
In 2012, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated and blessed his monument in bronze of “Hagop Meghabard” (who published the first printed book in the Armenian language in Venice in 1512), during his visit to Our Lady of Bzommar, Lebanon, on September 15, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the first Armenian printed book “Ourpatakirk”.
A miniature replica of the monument is part of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s collection in Vatican City.
In 2015, at the Historical Holy Mass dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, Yedalian presented to His Holiness Pope Francis his painting of “Blessed Ignatius Maloyan” (Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Mardin, Martyr 1869-1915, beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 7, 2001), in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican, on April 12, and this painting has been reproduced and issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of Vatican City Authorities in a Limited Edition Stamp on September 2, 2015.
In 2007-2008, he created and executed the stained glasses, the Holy Spirit sculpture and the Angels sculptures of the Saint Cross Armenian Catholic Church of Zalka, Lebanon.
He created the monument in bronze “Gratitude”, in Gemmayze Pasteur Street, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2015, and in 2016 the monument of “Blessed Ignatius Maloyan”, in the Convent of Our Lady of Bzommar, Lebanon.
In 2017, he created the Torch of Our Lady of Fatima, which was offered by His Beatitude Eminence Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East on behalf of the Catholic Church of Lebanon, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions.
He also illustrated many books, notably, the book “Հայաստան” “Armenia” in 2007.
Some of the artist’s works are in permanent collections including: Sursock Museum (Lebanon), Vatican City (Rome), Modern and Contemporary Art Museum “MACAM” (Lebanon), Modern Art Museum of Yerevan (Armenia), Museum of the Shrine of Fatima (Portugal), Museum of The Armenian Genocide (Armenia), Ministry of Culture (Lebanon), Museum of the Convent of Our Lady Bzommar (Lebanon), Museum of the Great House of Cilicia (Lebanon), and many more throughout the world.
Exhibitions
2024 AKNEYE Phygital Space, during 60th Venice Biennale 2024, curated by Anastasia Dawson, Ramo de la Tana 2121a, Venice, Italy.
2023 Artbooth Gallery, group exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2023 AKNEYE, art collaboration project, NFT and physical eye sculpture, Dubai, UAE.
2023 Armenian Genocide Museum “Road to Death, Armenian Genocide in Art”, Yerevan, Armenia.
2022 Mark Hachem Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France.
2022 Solo exhibition, “Asymmetrical Balance”, AGBU Armenia, in partnership with Armenia Art Fair, Yerevan, Armenia.
2021 Moderne Art – Mark Hachem Gallery, Paris, France.
2021 Volta Basel – Mark Hachem Gallery, Basel, Switzerland.
2020 Mark Hachem Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2019 XII Florence Biennale, Italy.
2019 Mark Hachem Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2019 Beirut Art Fair – Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2019 Mark Hachem Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2018 Contemporary Art Platform, CAP Kuwait, “Cultural Narratives” group exhibition organized by Selections
Magazine, Kuwait.
2018 International Print Festival, Life N Style, group exhibition, Contemporary Art Space, Georgia.
2018 Art on 56th Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2018 Art Week Dubai, “Cultural Narratives” group exhibition organized by Selections, Alserkal Avenue Dubai, UAE.
2018 Solo exhibition, Haigazian University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
2017 Red Dot Miami Art Fair, Esquisse Gallery, Miami, USA.
2017 Lebanese Cultural Week in Kuwait, group exhibition organized by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture, Kuwait.
2017 Artspace Gallery, “Freestanding” group sculpture exhibition, under the curation of Cesar Nammour, Beirut,
Lebanon.
2017 Solo exhibition, Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2017 Art on 56th Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2016 Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2016 Lebanese National Library of Beirut, “Bitasarrof” group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2016 Beirut Art Fair – Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2016 Art on 56th Gallery, “Never been seen” group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2016 Beirut Design Week, “Art & Sustainability”, organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
Art on 56th, Beirut.
2016 Art on 56th Gallery, “Art on Paper” group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2015 Beirut Art Fair (ME.NA.SA.ART) – Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2015 Art on 56th Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2015 Art 15 London’s Global Art Fair, Olympia, UK.
2015 Beirut Exhibition Center, group exhibition, Solidere, Beirut, Lebanon.
2014 Solo exhibition, “Passion of Humanity”, at Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2014 Beirut Art Fair (ME.NA.SA.ART) – Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2014 Art on 56th Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2014 Goguikian Foundation, “Extraordinary Art Exhibition” group exhibition, The Venue, Solidere, Beirut, Lebanon.
2013 Beirut Art Fair (ME.NA.SA.ART) – Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2013 Art on 56th Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2013 Modern and Contemporary Art Museum “MACAM”, group exhibition, Alita, Lebanon.
2013 Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2012 Solo exhibition, “Glimpse of Life”, at Pièce Unique Gallery, Solidere, Beirut, Lebanon.
2012 Villa Zein, group exhibition, organized by Hamazkayin Art Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010 Visual Art Forum 2010, group exhibition, Unesco Palace, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010 Surface Libre Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2008 Museum of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2007 AGBU, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2005 Convent of Bzommar, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2004 Palais des Congrès, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
2004 Museum of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
1999 La Fabrika, “Armenian Artists 50 years in Lebanon”, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
1998 Nicolas Sursock Museum, XXIIe Salon d’Automne, Beirut, Lebanon.
1998 Noah’s Ark Gallery, group exhibition, Beirut, Lebanon.
1998 Tour des Lions, “JABAL 98”, group exhibition, Tripoli, Lebanon.
1997 Nicolas Sursock Museum, XXIe Salon d’Automne, Beirut, Lebanon.
1992 Solo exhibition, Hripsimiantz, Beirut, Lebanon.
Museums & Public Collections
Vatican, Rome.
Sursock Museum, Lebanon.
Modern and Contemporary Art Museum “MACAM”, Lebanon.
Modern Art Museum of Yerevan “MAMY”, Armenia.
Museum of the Shrine of Fatima, Portugal.
Armenian Genocide Museum, Armenia.
Ministry of Culture, Lebanon.
Museum of Our Lady of Bzommar, Lebanon.
Museum of the Great House of Cilicia, Lebanon.
Awards
2019 “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Gold Medal, XII Florence Biennale, Italy.
2013 Prize at the competition of the Age of Bronze at the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum “MACAM”, Alita,
Lebanon.
Stamp of Vatican City
On April 12, 2015, during the Historical Holy Mass dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, Yedalian presented to His Holiness Pope Francis his painting of “Blessed Ignatius Maloyan” (Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Mardin, Martyr 1869-1915, beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 7, 2001), in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican, and this painting has been reproduced and issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City State, in a Limited Edition Stamp on September 2, 2015.
Monumental Sculptures
2016 Monument in bronze of “Blessed Ignatius Maloyan”, in the Convent Our Lady of Bzommar, Lebanon.
2015 Monument in bronze of “Gratitude”, Gemmayze Pasteur Street, Beirut, Lebanon.
2012 Monument in bronze of “Meghabard”, inaugurated and blessed by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI during his visit
to Our Lady of Bzommar, Lebanon, on September 15, 2012. A miniature replica in bronze of the monument is part of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s collection in Vatican City.
Projects
2017 Torch of Our Lady of Fatima, created for the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions, offered by His Beatitude
Mar Boutros Cardinal Rai on behalf of the Catholic Church of Lebanon, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
in Portugal.
2017 Sculpture (Limited edition series), for Beirut Stock Exchange, AFE Annual Conference 2017.
2016 Trophy of Beirut Golden Awards.
2011 Trophy of Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, “USEK”.
2010 Trophy of Beirut International Awards Festivals “BIAF”.
2008 Angels sculptures of the Saint Cross Church, Zalka, Lebanon.
2007 Stained glasses and Holy Spirit sculpture of the Saint Cross Church, Zalka, Lebanon.
About Yedalian’s works
Yedalian’s paintings and sculptures are both emotional and cold, expressive and quiet, his oeuvre is complex beyond its simplicity. His concern with the human condition is represented through stylistic and thematic dualities, symbolizing the continual battle between confinement and freedom. Yedalian’s figures are trapped in bold and abstract constructions. Their elongated silhouettes and mask-like faces transcend longing and anguish, but also nonchalance, tranquility and poise. His canvases pride themselves on their harmonious symmetry, but at a closer look, the lines, application of color and composition become expressive exaggerations, bordering on the surreal. Yedalian weaves figuration with abstraction and creates this fractured, uncomfortable environment. The stillness, innocence and timelessness of his depictions is unnatural and disturbing. He builds tension around the idea of individuality and fragments the identity of his sitters, rendering them anonymous, uniform and lifeless.
The artist celebrates the flatness of his canvases and attenuates color in order to allow the viewer to focus on the symbol of the line. It is through this particular element that he simultaneously constructs and reduces his figures into mere geometric beings, compressed into basic physical features. However, it is in their stylized representation and pronounced characteristics that the sitters find prominence. Their gaze transcends beyond the painted surface and penetrates the souls of the observers. Sculptural metal elements are incorporated in some of his paintings, to show the artificial intelligence of humans. These elements are creations of human biological forms which symbolize human body parts after deconstruction. Thus, they portray the reconstruction of humans with technological thoughts.
For his sculptures, Yedalian translates these anonymous and inert silhouettes into three-dimensional entities. Although he frees them from the flatness of their canvases, he entraps them in motionless poses. The artist plays with the idea of texture in order to exude both dismemberment and fragmentation, as well as unity and conformity. Additionally, the figures represent a witty melange between the robotic and the organic, intensity and vulnerability. With exaggerated postures and features, the sculptures seem at once burdened and weightless, further celebrating Yedalian’s fascination with dichotomies.