Edmond Demirdjian

Ðèñóâàë ñúì ìíîãî îò íàòóðà. Òîëêîâà ìíîãî, ÷å â åäèí ìîìåíò ìè îìðúçíà. Óñïîðåäíî ñ òîâà èíòåðåñúò ìè êúì ðåàëíîñòòà íå ñïèðàøå. Âèíàãè ñúì ñè çàäàâàë âúïðîñà çàùî òîâà, êîåòî ãëåäàì (è âèæäàì, íàäÿâàì ñå) ìè å õàðåñâàëî è êàêâà å ëîãèêàòà íà òàçè õàðìîíèÿ, êîÿòî íè çàîáèêàëÿ. Ïîíåæå ñúì ñè ëþáîïèòåí ïî ïðèðîäà è îùå îò ìàëúê ðàçãëîáÿâàõ èãðà÷êèòå, çà äà ðàçáåðà êàê ñà íàïðàâåíè, òàêà è ìíîãî çàäúëáî÷åíî è õëàäíîêðúâíî èçó÷àâàõ ÷èñòî âèçóàëíî ëîãèêàòà íà ïîñòðîåíèåòî íà íåùàòà, êîèòî íè çàîáèêàëÿò. Âñåêè èìà íÿêàêâà èñòèíà è ñâîÿ èíòåðïðåòàöèÿ çà òàçè ëîãèêà è àç ÿ îòêðèõ çà ñåáå ñè. Ïðèìåðúò å ìíîãî ïðîñò. Àêî èìàìå åäíà ÿáúëêà â ðúêàòà ñè, òîâà å àáñîëþòíà ñêóêà, íàé-ìíîãî äà ÿ èçÿäåì. Íî àêî â ñúùàòà ðúêà âçåìåì äâå ÿáúëêè, çàïî÷âàò äà âàëÿò âúïðîñè – çà êîãî å âòîðàòà ÿáúëêà, êîÿ å ïî-ãîëÿìà, êîÿ å ïî-âêóñíà è ò. í. Èñêàì äà êàæà, ÷å åäèí ïðåäìåò ñàì çà ñåáå ñè íå ïðåäñòàâëÿâà íèòî õóáàâî, íèòî ëîøî. Çíà÷è êðàñîòàòà, åñòåòèêàòà è èíòåðåñíîòî ñå ñúñòîÿò âúâ âçàèìîâðúçêàòà ìåæäó îáåêòèòå, à íå â êîíêðåòíèÿ îáåêò. Ìíîãî ÷åñòî êàçâàò çà íÿêîÿ æåíà, ÷å èìà ñòðàõîòíî êðàñèâè î÷è. Àç ñìÿòàì, ÷å âúîáùå íÿìà íèêàêâè êðàñèâè î÷è, à ïî-ñêîðî êðàñèâî ñúîòíîøåíèå è ðàçãîâîð ìåæäó íåéíèòå î÷è, íåéíèòå óñòíè, íåéíèòå ñòðàíè è ò. í. Ñàìèòå é î÷è, îòêúñíàòè îò êîíòåêñòà íà ëèöåòî é, íàé-ìíîãî äà ñâúðøàò ðàáîòà êàòî èëþñòðàöèÿ â íÿêîé ó÷åáíèê ïî àíàòîìèÿ. Îïîçíàâàéêè è îâëàäÿâàéêè òàçè ëîãèêà íà âèäèìèÿ ñâÿò, êîéòî íè çàîáèêàëÿ, ñè êàçàõ: “Íå ìîæå ëè äà çàïàçÿ ñúùàòà ëîãèêà è õàðìîíèÿ, íî äà çàìåñòÿ îáåêòèòå ñ èçìèñëåíè â ìîåòî ïîäñúçíàíèå?”. Ñàìèòå îáåêòè, êîèòî ðèñóâàì, íàé-äîáðå èçðàçÿâàò óñåùàíåòî ìè çà ôîðìà, ñúñòîÿíèå è íàñòðîåíèå. À “ðàçêàçâàì èñòîðèè”, ñú÷åòàâàéêè â íÿêàêâà ñèòóàöèÿ òåçè, èçìèñëåíè îò ìåí îáåêòè. Òîâà å ñ íÿêîëêî äóìè êëþ÷úò çà ðàç÷èòàíå íà ïîñëàíèåòî, êîåòî å çàëîæåíî â ìîèòå êàðòèíè. Àêî ÷îâåê ñè çàäàäå âúïðîñà êàêâî çíà÷è òîâà èëè îíîâà â ìîèòå êàðòèíè, èëè ïîòúðñè àíàëîã â ðåàëíîñòòà, ñèãóðíî ùå èçïàäíå â ñúñòîÿíèå íà îáúðêâàíå. Áèõ ïîñúâåòâàë òàêà: ïðåäñòàâåòå ñè, ÷å ñâåòúò îêîëî íàñ èçãëåæäà òî÷íî ïî òîçè íà÷èí, êàêòî èçãëåæäà â ìîèòå êàðòèíè. Ìèñëåòå ñè ãî ïîíå ïðåç êðàòêîòî âðåìå äîêàòî ãè ãëåäàòå – òîâà å àáñîëþòíî äîñòàòú÷íî.

< Âèñÿù êàëêàí, 2000, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

Hanging Turbot, 2000, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí 26. 07. 2006 ã.

I have done a lot of painting from nature. So much that at some point I got fed up. But at the same time I lost none of my interest in reality. I have always asked myself why I liked what I was looking at (and saw, I hope), and what was the logic of the harmony around me. I am a curious person by nature and just as I had taken apart all sorts of toys when I was a child to find out what they were made of, I began to study the logic of how things about us were constructed with industry and a cold mind, and from a purely visual point of view. Everybody has their own truth and interpretation of this logic, and I found mine.

The example is really very simple. It is totally boring to be just holding an apple in your hand. The most you can do about it is eat it. But if you took two apples in that same hand a whole lot of questions would follow. Who is the second apple for, which of the two is larger, which is tastier and so on. I mean, an object is neither good nor bad per se. An object is as beautiful, aesthetically appealing and interesting as its relationships with other objects, not on its own.

It is quite common to hear how beautiful the eyes of some woman were. I think that there is no such thing as beautiful eyes, but rather beautiful relationships and communication of her eyes with her lips, cheeks etc.

The eyes themselves, taken out of the context of the face might as well be used as an illustration in an anatomy textbook. Learning to know and master the logic of the world we see around us I told myself:”Couldn’t I preserve the logic and harmony while replacing the objects with others I had imagined sub-consciously?” The objects I do paint express best my feeling of shape, my disposition and mood. And I ”tell stories” by combining all kinds of situations with objects I myself make up. That in a few words is the key to reading the messages in my paintings.

Wondering what one thing or another in my paintings meant, or looking for analogs in reality would probably just lead to confusion. My advice is this try to imagine that the world around us looked exactly like my paintings.

And continue doing so for at least as long as the brief time while you are looking at the paintings that would be quite sufficient.

Edmond Demirdjian 26 July 2006

Íàòþðìîðò, íà÷àëîòî íà 1980-òå, âúãëåí, õàðòèÿ, 70õ100 ñì.

Still Life, the early 1980s, charcoal on paper, 70õ100 cm

Êîíñòðóêöèÿ, 1980-òå, òåìïåðà, ïëàòíî, 120õ100 ñì.

Construction, during the 1980s, tempera on canvas, 120õ100 cm

Àíòèëîãèêà, 1970-òå, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 70õ60 ñì.

Anti-logic, during the 1970s, oil on canvas, 70õ60 cm Àãðåñèÿ, 1970-òå, íà 20-òè âåê, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 80õ60 ñì.

Aggression, during the 1970s, oil on canvas, 80õ60 cm

×îâåêúò è òåõíèêàòà, 1970-òå, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 100õ120 ñì.

Man and Technology, during the 1970s, oil on canvas, 100õ120 cm

Îòáåëÿçàë âå÷å ó÷àñòèå â íÿêîëêî îáùîíàöèîíàëíè è â åäíà ìåæäóíàðîäíà èçëîæáà, Äåìèðäæèÿí ñàìî çà åäèí ïåðèîä îò äâå ãîäèíè å óñïÿë äà ðàçêðèå òâîð÷åñêîòî ñè ëèöå ñ ïðîèçâåäåíèÿ, êîèòî ðåñïåêòèðàò íå ñàìî ñúñ ñâîåòî êîëè÷åñòâî, íî è ñ õóäîæåñòâåíèòå êà÷åñòâà, êîèòî áåçñïîðíî ïðèòåæàâàò. Èíòåðåñíîòî â òîçè ñëó÷àé å è òîâà, ÷å ìëàäèÿò æèâîïèñåö ðàçâèâà ñâîÿòà ïðîáëåìàòèêà ñ åäíà âúòðåøíî óñòîé÷èâà ëîãèêà, áåç äà âëèçà â êîíôëèêò ñúñ çàëîæåíàòà â ñàìîòî ìó òâîð÷åñòâî èäåéíî-åñòåòè÷åñêà ïðîãðàìà, âúïðåêè ÷å åìîöèîíàëíàòà ïðèðîäà íà òîçè òîëêîâà æèçíåí è íåïîñðåäñòâåí õóäîæíèê íîñè â ñåáå ñè ïîòåíöèàëíè âúçìîæíîñòè çà ïîÿâàòà íà òàêúâ êîíôëèêò. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí ñå ïðèñúåäèíÿâà êúì åäíà íåìàëêà ãðóïà ñúâðåìåííè õóäîæíèöè, â òîâà ÷èñëî è áúëãàðñêè, êîèòî ñå ñòðåìÿò äà îòðàçÿò â òâîð÷åñòâîòî ñè êîëèçèèòå, êîèòî ñúçäàâà â åìîöèîíàëíî-ïñèõîëîãè÷åñêè è ñîöèàëåí ïëàí îáëèêúò íà íîâàòà óðáàíèñòè÷íà è ìåõàíèçèðàíà äåéñòâèòåëíîñò, ñðåä êîÿòî æèâååì âñè÷êè íèå. Íî çà ðàçëèêà îò äðóãè àâòîðè, êîèòî ñå ìú÷àò äà ðàçêðèÿò â æèâîïèñíàòà êîìïîçèöèÿ ñòóäåíàòà è ñòðîãà àðõèòåêòîíèêà íà òîâà ñúâðåìåííî îáêðúæåíèå, òîé òúðñè ìíîãî ÷åñòî áðóòàëíè ïî ñâîÿ î÷åâèäåí êîíòðàñò ñúïîñòàâêè ìåæäó íåéíèÿ ãåîìåòðèçèðàí îáëèê è òðàäèöèîííîòî èíòèìíî îáêðúæåíèå íà ÷îâåêà. Ñúñåäñòâîòî ìåæäó åäèí áàëòîí, çàêà÷àëêà è ïðîâèñíàë íà íåÿ âåëîñèïåä ìíîãî ÿñíî ïîêàçâà òàçè î÷åâèäíîñò. “Æåíà è ìîòîð”, “Íàòþðìîðò ñ êîëåëî, êèòàðà è ñòåíåí ÷àñîâíèê”, “Ìåõàíèçèðàíèÿò ÷îâåê” ñà òâîðáè, êîèòî êðàñíîðå÷èâî èçòúêâàò öåëèòå íà òàçè ïðîãðàìà. Êàêâî ïðåäñòàâëÿâà âñè÷êî òîâà êàòî æèâîïèñíîïëàñòè÷åí åêâèâàëåíò â ñàìàòà êîìïîçèöèÿ? Àâòîðúò èçãðàæäà êîìïîíåíòèòå íà ñâîÿ îáðàçåí ñâÿò, ñúäúðæàù íàðî÷íî ïîäáðàíè ïî ñâîÿòà íåñúâìåñòèìîñò ïðåäìåòè îò ñúâðåìåííîòî íàøå îáêðúæåíèå, ïî ìíîãî îñîáåí íà÷èí. Âìåñòî äà ãè ðàçãðàíè÷è êàòî ñòðóêòóðà, çà äà èçòúêíå òÿõíàòà íåñúâìåñòèìîñò, òîé ñúóìÿâà äà ãè îáåäèíè – åëåìåíòèòå íà òðàäèöèîííèÿ, äà ãî íàðå÷åì èíòèìåí áèò íà ÷îâåêà, ñà òðàíñôîðìèðàíè ÷ðåç åäèí ïðèíöèï íà ñèíòåòè÷íî îïðîñòÿâàíå íà ôîðìèòå, êîéòî ïî÷òè â ñúùàòà ñòåïåí ñå ïðèëàãà è âúðõó åëåìåíòèòå íà ìåõàíèçèðàíàòà äåéñòâèòåëíîñò. Îò òîâà åëåìåíòèòå ãóáÿò ñâîÿòà õëàäíà ñòðîãîñò íà ãåîìåòðè÷íè ôîðìè, ïðåâðúùàéêè ñå åäâà ëè íå â äåòñêà èãðà÷êà. Õàîñúò îò çúá÷àòè êîëåëà, áóðìè, âåðèãè è áîëòîâå, èçîáðàçåíè â ÿðêî èíòåíçèâíè öâåòîâå, êàêòî ïðàâè òîâà â ïîäîáíè ñëó÷àè äåòåòî-õóäîæíèê, ëèøàâà îò çàñòðàøèòåëíîñò òàçè ìåõàíèçèðàíà äåéñòâèòåëíîñò. È àêî òðÿáâà âúç îñíîâà íà òîâà äà ñè ïðåäñòàâèì êàêâà e ïîçèöèÿòà íà àâòîðà, îöåíêàòà ìó íà òâîðåö, íà ïðúâ ïîãëåä òÿ ùå ñå îêàæå ëèøåíà îò îñòðîòà è êàòåãîðè÷íà

Ïðîåêòè çà êàðòèíè, 1970-òå 14õ12 ñì., òåìïåðà, ìîëèâ, êàðòîí; 12õ10 ñì., òåìïåðà, êàðòîí Projects for Paintings, during the 1970s 14õ12 cm, tempera, pencil on cardboard; 12õ10 cm, tempera on cardboard

îïðåäåëåíîñò. ×îâåêúò è ÷îâåøêîòî ñúùåñòâóâàò çàåäíî ñ òîâà íîâî îáêðúæåíèå, êîåòî îðãàíè÷åñêè ñå âïëèòà â ïðèâè÷íîòî åæåäíåâèå. Íàèñòèíà â ïîäõîäà íà ìëàäèÿ æèâîïèñåö îòñúñòâàò ìîðàëèçàòîðñêè àêöåíòè, òîé íå ñå íàåìà äà áúäå íåèí ñúäíèê, íî òîâà ñúâñåì íå ëèøàâà èäåéíîõóäîæåñòâåíàòà ìó ïðîãðàìà îò îïðåäåëåíîñò. Êàê ìîæåì ïðè òîâà ïîëîæåíèå íà íåùàòà äà ÿ îïðåäåëèì? Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å ïðåäñòàâèòåë íà åäíî ïîêîëåíèå, êîåòî íå ãëåäà îòñòðàíè íà íîâîòî, äîøëî è â íàøèÿ ñúâðåìåíåí áúëãàðñêè áèò.

Àâòîïîðòðåò, 1976 ìàñëåíè áîè íà äúðâî, 55õ46 ñì.

Self Portrait, 1976 oil on wood, 55õ46 cm

Òîâà ïîêîëåíèå íå å ñàíòèìåíòàëíî. È êîãàòî îöåíÿâà ñúâðåìåííîñòòà æèâîïèñåöúò Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí îòáåëÿçâà âÿðíî åäíà íåéíà õàðàêòåðíà îñîáåíîñò ïðè äíåøíèòå óñëîâèÿ – òàçè ñúâðåìåííîñò íÿìà âñå îùå ñâîé óñòàíîâåí îáëèê, òÿ íå å îòëåæàëà, íå ñå å ïðåâúðíàëà â ñòèë íà æèâîò.  íåÿ åêëåêòè÷íî ñúæèòåëñòâàò åëåìåíòè è íà ñòàðîòî, è íà íîâîòî. Ïîðàäè òîâà òÿ èìà îáëèê íà õàîñ, íà áåçðåäíî ñòðóïâàíå íà ïðåäìåòè, âåùè è õîðà.  êîìïîçèöèÿòà íà æèâîïèñíàòà êàðòèíà åêâèâàëåíò íà òîçè õàîñ å ñâîåîáðàçíî äåêîìïîçèðàùèÿò ïðèíöèï â àðàíæèìåíòà íà òîâà íåâúîáðàçèìî ñòúëïîòâîðåíèå, êîåòî îáà÷å æèâåå â íåÿ ñâîé ñîáñòâåí îðãàíè÷åí æèâîò. Òîçè æèâîò å àêòèâåí, èçïúëíåí ñ íåïðåêúñíàòî äèíàìè÷íî äâèæåíèå. È ÷îâåêúò, è ïðåäìåòíèÿò ñâÿò, êîéòî ãî îáêðúæàâà, ïðèñúñòâàò â êàðòèíàòà íå òîëêîâà êàòî ïåðñîíàëíè ïðåäñòàâèòåëè íà íàøàòà ñúâðåìåííîñò, à ïî-ñêîðî êàòî çíàöè, îëèöåòâîðÿâàùè öÿëîòî òîâà õàîòè÷íî, èçïúëíåíî äîêðàé ñ äèíàìèêà äâèæåíèå. Åòî çàùî êîíòóðúò, èçïúëíåí äî êðàåí ïðåäåë ñ åíåðãèÿ, íå òîëêîâà îãðàæäà ôîðìèòå, êîëêîòî îáîçíà÷àâà òÿõíîòî äâèæåíèå. Òîé å íàòîâàðåí ñ ôóíêöèèòå íà ñèëîâà ëèíèÿ, îòáåëÿçâàùà ïîñîêàòà è åíåðãèéíèÿ çàðÿä íà òîâà õàîòè÷íî äâèæåíèå. Áèõìå ëè ìîãëè äà îãðàíè÷èì ñàìî ñ òîâà ïðîáëåìàòèêàòà íà ìëàäèÿ æèâîïèñåö, âúïðåêè ÷å òîé òåïúðâà ùå ïðîäúëæè äà ðàçãðúùà íåéíèòå ïàðàìåòðè êàêòî â øèðèíà, òàêà è â äúëáî÷èíà? Íÿêîè îò ïîñëåäíèòå ïî âðåìå èçïúëíåíè òâîðáè, ó÷àñòâàùè â ïúðâàòà ìó èçëîæáà, íè óáåæäàâàò, ÷å òîâà ñúâñåì íå å òàêà. Îïèòúò, èçâëå÷åí ïðè ðàáîòàòà âúðõó ïðîãðàìíèòå ìó êàòî êîíöåïöèÿ òâîðáè, ñå ïðîåêòèðà ïî ìíîãî îñîáåí íà÷èí â íÿêîëêî ïåéçàæà è íàòþðìîðòà, â êîèòî îòñúñòâà êîíòðàñòíàòà ñúïîñòàâêà ìåæäó ñòàðî è íîâî, ìåæäó òðàäèöèîííî è ñúâðåìåííî. Åíåðãè÷íèÿò åêñïðåñèâåí åçèê, ñ êîéòî ñà èçïúëíåíè òåçè òâîðáè, èçöÿëî ãè ïîñòàâÿ â êîíòåêñòà íà æèâîïèñíî-ïëàñòè÷íèòå ïðîáëåìè, êîèòî õàðàêòåðèçèðàò è äðóãèòå ìó ïðîèçâåäåíèÿ. Òå ñà òÿõíî ïðîäúëæåíèå, íî è òÿõíî ñâîåîáðàçíî îòðèöàíèå. Îêàçâà ñå, ÷å äèíàìèêàòà, åêñïðåñèÿòà, íàïðåãíàòèÿò ðèòúì íà ëèíèè è ïåòíà, æèçíåðàäîñòíàòà

öâåòíîñò ìîãàò äà ïðèñúñòâàò è â îöåíêàòà íà ïðèâè÷íàòà ïîçíàòà äåéñòâèòåëíîñò. Íîâîòî â íåéíèÿ îáëèê èäâà ñåãà íå îò ó÷àñòâàùèòå â êàðòèíàòà ïðåäìåòíè ñúñòàâêè, à îò íà÷èíà, ïî êîéòî ÿ âúçïðèåìà òâîð÷åñêîòî ñúçíàíèå íà õóäîæíèêà. Òåçè òâîðáè ïîðàäè òîâà ñà è åäíî íà÷àëî êúì ñëåäâàùèòå ïðîáëåìè íà ìëàäèÿ òàëàíòëèâ æèâîïèñåö, åäíî íà÷àëî ñ ìíîãî íåèçâåñòíè, íî òúêìî ïîðàäè òîâà è ìíîãî ïðèìàìëèâî êàòî ïåðñïåêòèâè è âúçìîæíîñòè çà ðàçâèòèå ïî ïîñîêà íà òðàéíèòå ñòîéíîñòè â èçêóñòâîòî. Ìàêñèìèëÿí Êèðîâ ñï. Èçêóñòâî, 1980 / 5

×àñîâíèê, 1979, ìàñëåí ïàñòåë, õàðòèÿ, 60õ70 ñì.

Clock, 1979, oil pastel on paper, 60õ70 cm

Òè÷àù àâòîïîðòðåò, 1979 âúãëåí, õàðòèÿ, 65õ50 ñì.

Running Self Portrait, 1979 charcoal on paper, 65õ50 cm Ïîðòðåò íà áàùà ìè, 1979 ìàñëåí ïàñòåë, õàðòèÿ, 60õ40 ñì.

Portrait of my Father, 1979 oil pastel on paper, 60õ40 cm

Ìåõàíè÷åí ÷îâåê, 1979, ñóõ ïàñòåë, õàðòèÿ, 65õ50 ñì.

Mechanical Man, 1979, dry pastel on paper, 65õ50 cm

Êîìïîçèöèÿ ñ áóõàë, 1976, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 120õ100 ñì.

Composition with Owl, 1976, oil on canvas, 120õ100 cm

With his part icipat ions in a number of national and one international exhibition, just over a period of two years Demirdjian has managed to reveal the scope of his talent not only with the amount of works he has produced but with their undeniable artistic quality. What is quite interesting with this young painter is the internal consistency and logic with which he approaches each issue, without engaging into conflict with the aesthetic programme and ideas inherent to his works. Despite that the emotional nature of this vibrant, sincere artist creates potential opportunities for such conflict.

Edmond Demirdjian, among other Bulgarians, joined a group of contemporary artists who are interested in reflecting with their art the collisions which the new urban, mechanised reality we all live in creates in an emotional, psychological and social plan. But unlike other artists who try to reveal the cold, severe architectonics of the environment in their compositions, he is more often after a rather brutally obvious contrast between the geometric proportions of the environment and the traditional intimate surroundings of the individual. The coat, next to the hanger and the bicycle hung onto it make the message quite obvious. ”Woman with Motorbike”, ”Still-life with Bicycle, Guitar and Clock”, ”Mechanised Man” are all works which spell out the aims of this programme quite clearly. What is the artistic equivalent of this in the composition? The artist constructs the components of his imagery world by deliberately selecting otherwise incompatible objects from our contemporary environment and doing that in a very unusual way. Instead of making the distinction based on their structures and so promote their difference, he has indeed managed to link them – the elements of a traditional, or shall we say intimate world of the individual, have been transformed here through artificial simplification of forms, and the same method is almost identically applied to mechanised objects too.

The result is that the elements have lost their cold austerity and have come to almost resemble toys.

The chaos of wheels, screws, chains and bolts have gained intensely bright colours as a child artist would have done – deprive the mechanical of its intimidating presence. Should one try to identify based on this alone what the author’s attitude may be or his purely artistic take, then it may seem as if it has no poignancy or is indeed rather unspecified. Man and the human co-exist with this new environment which organically merges with the habitual everyday. And indeed there is no preaching about the young artist’s approach, he is no way judgemental. However, neither of these mean that his philosophical and artistic programme lacks specificity.

Åêçîòè÷åí ïåéçàæ, 1976 ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 81õ100 ñì.

Exotic Landscape, 1976 oil on canvas, 81õ100 cm

So how do we go about to define it in this case?

Edmond Demerdjian represents a generation who does not stand aside watching the new realities in the contemporary Bulgarian world.

This generation is not sentimental. When assessing the contemporary world painter Demirdjian very truthfully reflects one of the typical traits of our environment – an environment that still has no established appearance of its own, it still hasn’t settled in, it hasn’t become a life style. Elements of the old and new exist eclectically side by side. And therefore it appears to be chaos, a collection of objects, possessions and people of no particular order. This same chaos is matched in the composition of the painting with a kind of decomposing principle in the arrangement of this unbelievable heap, which though lives within it its very own limited life. And it is a life active, fulfilled with constant dynamic movement. Both man and his surrounding material world are present in the painting, not so much as personal representatives of our contemporary world but rather as symbols signifying this entire chaotic and extremely dynamic movement.

That is why he contour, bursting with energy itself, is not so much there to bound the forms as to identify their motion. It has been tasked to be the line of power identifying the direction and energy charge of the chaotic movement. Could we limit the issues this young painter raises with just these, when he yet shall reveal its parameters in both breadth and depth? Some of the latest works in his first exhibition convince in just the opposite. The experience he gained while working on his programme setting conceptual works is reflected in a rather curious way in some of his landscapes and still-life paintings, lacking the juxtaposition of old and new, of traditional and contemporary. The energetic and expressive language of these works place them neatly within the same artistic issues so typical of his other works. They are their continuation, but to an extent they just as much deny them. It is obvious that the dynamics, the expressiveness, the tense rhythm of lines and spots of lively colour can be part of the assessment of the habitual, well known environment. What is new now are the not the objects introduced into the them, but the way that the work is acknowledged by the artist’s vision. And therefore these works are indeed the beginning in the talented young painter’s quest of issues, a beginning full of unknown parameters but precisely because of that, also quite luring a perspective, an opportunity of development along the lines of intransient artistic values.

Maximilian Kirov Izkustvo magazine, 1980/ 5

Ïåòåë, 1979, òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 70õ100 ñì.

Rooster, 1979, tempera on paper, 70õ100 cm

Àòåëèåòî íà Åäìîíä å îò îíèÿ, êîèòî Ñòîëè÷íèÿò ñúâåò ðàçäàâà ïîä íàåì íà õóäîæíèöèòå. È ñëàâà áîãó. Íèêîé îò ïðåñåëíèöèòå â Ñîôèÿ íèòî ùå ñå íàñòàíè, íèòî ùå ãî âçåìå ïîä íàåì. Òåçè àòåëèåòà ñà ñàìî çà ÷óäàöè. Íàìèðàò ñå â ïîÿñíàòà ÷àñò íà íåáîñòúðãà÷èòå íè. Îùå â êîðèäîðà îò òàâàíà âèñÿò çàñòðàøèòåëíè îòîïëèòåëíè òðúáè. Ìîäåëèðàíè ñÿêàø íà ðúêà, íàãëî âëèçàò, êðèâè è ãðîçíè, ïðåç ñòåíàòà â àòåëèåòî. Òîâà å íÿêàêâî íåäîñòèæèìî àâàíãàðäíî èíæåíåðíî ïðîåêòèðàíå. Îñúùåñòâåíî îò íàøåòî ñòðîèòåëñòâî, ïðåâðúùà ñâåòà íà Ôåðíàí Ëåæå â ãðóá íàòóðàëèçúì.

Àâòîïîðòðåò, 1979 òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 50õ40 ñì.

Self Portrait, 1979 tempera on paper, 50õ40 cm

 òîçè ñâÿò íà àòåëèåòàòà ìëàäèÿò õóäîæíèê íå å â ñúñòîÿíèå äà ñå âúðíå êúì àêàäåìèçìà. È Åäìîíä èñêðåí òðúãâà íàïðåä: “ êàðòèíèòå ñå ñòðåìÿ äà ñú÷åòàÿ àáñòðàêòíàòà èçðàçèòåëíîñò è êðàñîòà íà öâåòà, ôîðìàòà, ôàêòóðàòà, äâèæåíèåòî ñ ôèãóðàòèâíîòî íà÷àëî. Ìîæå áè äèíàìèêàòà íà âðåìåòî, â êîåòî æèâååì, ìîæå äà ñå èçîáðàçè è ïî òîçè íà÷èí. Ìîäóëíî èçãðàæäàíå íà ïëîñêîñòòà îò ôèãóðà, ïîäîáèå íà ôèãóðà è àáñòðàêòåí åëåìåíò. Ïúðâîñòåïåííî çíà÷åíèå çà ìåí èìàò êîìïîçèöèÿòà. öâåòúò (ãàìàòà), ëèíèÿòà, ôîðìàòà, äâèæåíèåòî, âúòðåøíàòà ñòðóêòóðà. Îòòóê âàðèàíòè íà òåçè åëåìåíòè – ðàçäðîáÿâàíå íà ôîðìàòà, öâåòà, ñòðóêòóðàòà ñ öåë çàïàçâàíå íà ïëîñêîñòòà. Ïî òîçè íà÷èí òîòàëíî çâó÷åíå íà êàðòèíàòà êàòî öÿëî. Óñëîâíî èçãðàæäàíå íà ïðîñòðàíñòâî è ôèãóðè. Âàðèàöèè íà åäíà òåìà: ñòîë, ðèáè, ïåðñîíàæ, êîìïîçèöèÿ îò ãåîìåòðè÷íè ôèãóðè. Äèíàìè÷íî, åêñïðåñèâíî èçãðàæäàíå íà êàðòèíàòà – äà çâó÷è êàòî ñèãëà – åäíîâðåìåííî. Ðèñóâàì ñòðóêòóðè, çàùîòî ìè îñèãóðÿâàò äà çàïàçÿ ïëîñêîñòòà. Ñþæåòúò å ïîâîä çà åäíî ñâîáîäíî áîðàâåíå ñ öåë åêñïðåñèâíî è äèíàìè÷íî çâó÷åíå íà êàðòèíàòà, íî áåç ïðåíåáðåãâàíå íà òåìàòà èçöÿëî. Òåìà ìîæå äà áúäå è åêñïðåñèÿòà. Íå áèõ èñêàë äà ðèñóâàì ÷èñòà àáñòðàêöèÿ. Áîðáà ìåæäó ôèãóðàòèâíîòî è àáñòðàêòíîòî íà÷àëî. Ðàçíîîáðàçèå â åäíîîáðàçèåòî.” Òåçè áåëåæêè íà õóäîæíèêà ìè íàïîìíèõà íàñòúðâåíèòå äóìè îò ìàíèôåñòèòå ïà ôóòóðèñòèòå. È íå ñëó÷àéíî êàðòèíèòå ìó ñà íåñïèðàùî äâèæåíèå, êàëåéäîñêîïíà âúðòåëåæêà. Òàêà ñèëíî å óñåùàíåòî çà äâèæåíèå, çà ñêîðîñò. Ñÿêàø å êèíåòè÷íî èçêóñòâî. Ëèïñâà áðúì÷àùîòî åëåêòðîìîòîð÷å. Òî å äâèæåíèåòî íà ðúêàòà ìó. Íåãîâîòî óñåùàíå. Ñ ôóòóðèñòèòå íÿìà íèùî îáùî. Îòäàâíà ñêîðîñòòà íå å îòêðèòèå, à íàø áèò. Òîãàâà? Òàçè íåãîâà âúðòåëèâà âèõðóøêà, òîçè ÷óäåñåí âåíòèëàòîðòâîðåö òàêà çàâúðòâà è ïðúñêà ÷îâåöè è âåùè â ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî, ÷å òå ñå ïðåðàæäàò â ïîåòè÷íè âåùè, â ïîåòè÷íè ÷îâåöè.  íåáèâàëîòî ïðîñòðàíñòâî âåùòà ñòàâà ðàâíîñòîéíà íà ÷îâåêà. È âúëíóâàùà.

Àâòîïîðòðåò, 1984, òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 65õ50 ñì.

Self Portrait, 1984, tempera on paper, 65õ50 cm

Ôîòîãðàô I, 1979 òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 50õ65 ñì.

Photographer I, 1979 tempera on paper, 50õ65 cm

 ñòàÿòà íà ñèíà ìè ñòîè åäèí íåãîâ àâòîïîðòðåò. Òîé å ÿõíàë ïåòåë. Êàêâî ìîæåòå äà î÷àêâàòå îò åäèí òàêúâ õóäîæíèê? Èëè ëóäîñò, èëè èçêóñòâî. Èëè äâåòå çàåäíî. Åäìîíä ïðåñòàíà äà áúäå ñàðêàñòè÷åí è íàñìåøëèâ. Çíàÿ òî÷íî îòêîãà. Êîãàòî íà óëèöàòà ãî âèäÿõ ñúñ çàìðúçíàëà óñìèâêà ïðåä ïðåäñòàâèòåëÿ íà ÊÀÒ, êîéòî ìó ñå êàðàøå. Çàùî ñå øåãóâàì? Çàùîòî øåãàòà ìè ëèïñâà. À òÿ äà ñòàíå èçêóñòâî – òîâà å óæàñíî ìú÷íî. Òàçè ìúêà å ðàäîñòòà íà íåãîâîòî èçêóñòâî. Ïåéçàæúò, ìúðòâàòà ïðèðîäà, ÷îâåöèòå, öåëèÿò ìó ñâÿò å åäèí ïðåêðàñåí Àðëåêèí. Âåñåë â èçæèâÿâàíèÿòà ñè. Èíòåëèãåíòåí è ñëîæåí. È êàòî âñåêè Àðëåêèí òîé å íåîáóçäàí, êàòî íåïîñëóøíî äåòå ðàçõâúðëÿ âñè÷êî êàòî äåòñêè èãðà÷êè. Ñúçäàâà íîâ ñâÿò – ïî-ïîåòè÷åí è íåîáè÷àåí. Ìàñêàòà íà æèâîïèñòà ìó å íåîáóçäàíà, åêñïðåñèâíà, äðàñòè÷íà, æèçíåíà. Òàêàâà å è áîÿòà ìó. Ñòàðèÿò ìó ñàðêàçúì, øåãà, ñà ñòàíàëè ìèðîãëåä, äúëáîêî îñìèñëåí â ñàìèÿ íåãî, çàòîâà è òàêà öÿëîñòíî èçæèâÿí â êàðòèíàòà.  òàçè âúðòÿùà ñå êàðòèíà, îò êîÿòî íà íåãî äîðè çà ìèã íå ìó ñå çàâèâà ñâÿò. Àòàíàñ Íåéêîâ â. Ëèòåðàòóðåí ôðîíò, 1987 (ñ ìàëêè ñúêðàùåíèÿ)

Edmond’s studio is one of the Municipality-owned spaces rented to artists. And thank goodness. None of Sofia’s newcomers would have ever thought to stay there, let alone pay rent for it. These studios are for weird people. They are located in the margins of our skyscrapers.

Heating pipes hang menacingly down from the ceiling in the hallway.

As if corrugated by hand, crooked and ugly, they make their way impudently into the studio through the wall. Some insuperable, avantgarde engineering design it is. And brought into being by our construction industry, it could well send Fernand Leger’s world straight into crude naturalism.

In this world of studios the young artist cannot go back to the academic tradition. And so Edmond set forth with sincerity. ”In my paintings I seek to combine abstract expression and the beauty of colour, shape, texture, movement and the figurative. Perhaps the dynamics of the times we live in may be depicted like that as well. A modular construction of the flat surface by putting together a figure, simile of a figure and an abstract element. To me composition comes first, along with colour (the full range), line, form, movement, internal structure.

And then versions of these elements – breaking up form and colour, breaking up the structure to preserve the flat surface. And thus the painting preserves its integrity. Conditional construction of space and forms. Variations of the same theme: chair, fish, personage, composition of geometric figures. Dynamic, expressive construction of the painting – make it sound like a logogram – in a single breath. I paint structures because they allow me to preserve the flat surface. The plot is reason for freedom of touch aimed at an expressive, dynamic sounding of the painting without completely neglecting the theme.

Expression may be the theme. I don’t want to make just abstract paintings. The struggle between the figurative and the abstract. Diversity in the similarity.”

These notes by the artist reminded me the fervent manifestos of the futurists. It is no coincidence that his paintings are endless motion, a kaleidoscopic roundabout. This is how powerful the sense of movement and speed is. As if it were kinetic art. The only thing missing is the hovering electrical engine. Which is the stroke of his hand. His feel. Nothing to do with the futurists. Speed has ceased to be a novelty for quite a while now, it is our life. So? This spinning whirlwind, this incredible fan of an artist swirls so and spreads people and objects into space, then they are reborn into objects of poetry or people of poetry. In this make-belief space objects equal to people. And are just as exciting.

One of his self-portrays can be found in my son’s room. Him riding a rooster. What might one expect of such an artist? It would either be insanity or art. Or both.

Edmond is no longer sarcastic or patronising. And I know since when.

When I saw him in the street with a smile frozen on his face while a

Ôîòîãðàô II, 1979 òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 65õ50 ñì.

Photographer II, 1979 tempera on paper, 65õ50 cm

road police officer was telling him off. Why am I joking? Because I miss joking. And it is awfully hard to turn it into art. Which hardship is his joy in art. His landscape, his dead nature, people – his entire world is one fascinating Harlequin. Merry in his experiences. Intelligent and complicated. And like any Harlequin, he’s also untamed, throwing everything about like a naughty child’s toys. Creating a new world – more poetic, unusual. The mask of his painting is untamed – expressive, drastic, vivacious. Just like his colour.

The old sarcasm, the joke – they’ve become his view, deeply acknowledged from within, and therefore so profoundly experienced in the painting. In this whirling painting that even for a second does not make him feel dizzy.

Atanas Neykov Literaturen Front newspaper, 1987 (with minor contractions)

Òðè ôèãóðè ñ êîëåëî, 1981, ìàñëåí ïàñòåë, õàðòèÿ, 60õ70 ñì.

Three Figures with Bicycle, 1981, oil pastel on paper, 60õ70 cm Ñðåùà, 1981, ìàñëåí ïàñòåë, õàðòèÿ, 60õ70 ñì.

Date, 1981, oil pastel on paper, 60õ70 cm

Ðàçãîâîð, 1982, àêâàðåë, òóø, õàðòèÿ, 50õ60 ñì.

Conversation, 1982, watercolour and ink on paper, 50õ60 cm Ïåðñîíàæè, 1982, àêâàðåë, òóø, õàðòèÿ, 50õ60 ñì.

Personages, 1982, watercolour and ink on paper, 50õ60 cm

Ðàçãîâîð çà èçêóñòâî, 1982, òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 60õ70 ñì.

Conversation about Art, 1982, tempera on paper, 60õ70 cm

Àêðîáàòè, 1982, òåìïåðà, õàðòèÿ, 60õ70 ñì.

Acrobats, 1982, tempera on paper, 60õ70 cm

Çà ñðàâíèòåëíî êðàòêî âðåìå òâîð÷åñòâîòî íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí åâîëþèðà ðåøèòåëíî áúðçî. Ïî ïúòÿ íà ðàçâèòèåòî ïðåìèíà ïðåç ðàçëè÷íè ïåðèîäè, äîïúëâàùè è èçãðàæäàùè äíåøíèÿ ìó îáëèê. Ñëåä çàâúðøâàíåòî íà Õóäîæåñòâåíàòà àêàäåìèÿ çàïî÷âà åäèí “àíàëèòè÷åí” ïåðèîä, ïðåç êîéòî ìëàäèÿò õóäîæíèê çàäúëáî÷åíî èçó÷àâà òâîð÷åñòâîòî íà Ñåçàí, Áðàê, Ïèêàñî. Òðóïàò ñå òåòðàäêè ñúñ çàïèñêè, ðèñóíêè, èçîáðàçÿâàùè òåîðèè çà öâåòà, êîìïîçèöèÿòà, ëèíèÿòà è ò.í. Æèâîïèñíèòå ìó ïëàòíà îò îíîâà âðåìå ïîêàçâàò ïðèñòðàñòèå êúì êîíñòðóêòèâèñòè÷íîòî íà÷àëî. Ïîðòðåòèòå, êîìïîçèöèèòå èëè íàòþðìîðòèòå èçäàâàò ðúêàòà íà äîáúð ðèñóâà÷ è íà êîëîðèñò ñ ÷óâñòâî êúì ñèëíèòå, íî õàðìîíèðàíè öâåòîâå. Ïúðâàòà ìó èçëîæáà ïðåç 1979 ã. èìà ãîëÿì óñïåõ.

×îâåê ñ äèíÿ, 1987 ìàñëåíè áîè, ôàçåð, 90õ70 ñì.

Man with a Water-melon, 1987 oil on fibreboard, 90õ70 cm

Ñëåäâàùèÿò ïåðèîä îò òâîð÷åñêîòî ìó ðàçâèòèå òðúãâà â ðàçëè÷íà ïîñîêà. Ãîäèíè íàðåä õóäîæíèêúò ðèñóâà ôèãóðàëíè êîìïîçèöèè ñ òåìïåðà. Îòëè÷àâà ãè ãðîòåñêíîñòòà íà ñèòóàöèÿòà, òèïè÷íîñòòà íà ïåðñîíàæèòå.  àòìîñôåðàòà íà ïîâå÷åòî îò òÿõ èìà íåùî îò ñâåòà íà öèðêà – ìúæêè è æåíñêè ôèãóðè, ñòúëáè, òîïêè, êîëåëåòà, îáðú÷è – âñè÷êî ñå çàâèõðÿ â êðúãîâ ðèòúì.  òåçè òâîðáè îòêðèâàìå è îíåçè ÷åðòè, êîèòî ùå õàðàêòåðèçèðàò òâîð÷åñòâîòî ìó îòòóê íàòàòúê è âèíàãè ùå ãî îòëè÷àâàò ñ îïòèìèçìà, ïðèïîâäèãíàòèÿ äóõ, âåñåëîòî íàñòðîåíèå, êîèòî ïðåîáëàäàâàò äîðè êîãàòî çàä òÿõ ïðîçèðàò ïî-òúæíè è ïî-ìúäðè íîòêè. Êîãàòî îòíîâî ñå âðúùà êúì ìàñëåíèòå áîè, àìáèöèèòå ìó ñà ìíîãî ïî-ãîëåìè.  ïîðåäíàòà èçëîæáà ïðåç 1987 ã. ñ íàä 70 ïëàòíà ñúæèòåëñòâàò ïîðòðåòè, íàòþðìîðòè, ïåéçàæè è êîìïîçèöèè, êàòî âñåêè æàíð å çàïàçèë îòíîñèòåëíàòà ñè ñàìîñòîÿòåëíîñò. Ùî ñå îòíàñÿ äî ñòèëà íà ðàáîòà, òîé êàòî ÷å ëè å ñú÷åòàë ÿðêèÿ, íàñèòåí, ñèëåí êîëîðèò îò ïúðâèÿ ïåðèîä íà àâòîðà ñ âèòàëíîñòòà íà îáðàçèòå îò âòîðèÿ. Âñå îùå îáà÷å íåùàòà ñå ðàçìèíàâàò – ïîíÿêîãà ðåàëèñòè÷íèÿò ïîäõîä ñå ñáëúñêâà ñ ïðèíöèïà íà èçãðàæäàíå íà êàðòèíàòà ïî ïëîñêîñòòà, äðóã ïúò ñàìàòà àãðåñèÿ íà ÷åòêàòà è öâåòà å òîëêîâà ãîëÿìà, ÷å ñå ïðåâðúùà â êîíôëèêòíà. Õóäîæíèêúò å ðàçëè÷åí ïî÷òè âúâ âñÿêà êàðòèíà, êàòî ÷å ëè âñå îùå åêñïåðèìåíòèðà, òúðñè äà íàìåðè ñåáå ñè. Ñëåä òåçè ãîäèíè íà íåïðåêúñíàò òðóä Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí íàâëèçà àêî íå â íàé-çðåëèÿ ñè, òî â íàé-õàðìîíè÷íèÿ ñè ïåðèîä.  òåìàòè÷íèòå ñåðèè, êîèòî ðàçðàáîòâà â ïðîäúëæåíèå íà íÿêîëêî ãîäèíè, òîé äîñòèãà åäíà åñòåòè÷åñêà ïðåöèçíîñò íà òâîðáèòå ñè, êîÿòî ðàäâà ñúñ ñâîåòî êîìïîçèöèîííî è êîëîðèòíî ñúâúðøåíñòâî. Ñâîåîáðàçíà êóëìèíàöèÿ íà òîçè ïåðèîä ñà ïðåäñòàâåíèòå 25 òâîðáè íà åñåííèòå èçëîæáè â Ïëîâäèâ, âñè÷êè íà òåìà “Âèñÿùè ðèáè”. Ïðîâîêàöèÿòà íà åêñïîçèöèÿòà, êàêòî è õàðàêòåðúò íà ðàáîòèòå äàäîõà ïîâîä äà ñå ãîâîðè çà “ïàòåíò” íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí.  òåçè

êàðòèíè õóäîæíèêúò êàòî ÷å ëè ñå íàñëàæäàâà íà ñîáñòâåíàòà ñè âèðòóîçíîñò äà êîìïîçèðà, äà èçãðàæäà æèâîïèñíè ñòðóêòóðè, äà áîðàâè ñâîáîäíî ñ öâåòîâåòå, ñúçäàâàéêè ñëîæíè íþàíñè, äåëèêàòíè ïðåõîäè è “äúëáîêè” ëîêàëíè ïåòíà. Çà ðàçëèêà îò ïðåäèøíèòå ìó æèâîïèñíè ïëàòíà, êúäåòî íàääåëÿâà õàîñúò íà öÿëîòî è ôîíúò íàïèðà äà ñå ñëåå ñ èçîáðàæåíèåòî, òóê íåùàòà ñà óñïîêîåíè, ïëàíîâåòå ñà ÿñíè, àãðåñèÿòà íà öåíòúðà óòèõâà â èç÷èñòåíîòî îòçàä ïðîñòðàíñòâî. Ñâîåòî ïîîò÷åòëèâî ìÿñòî íàìèðà äåòàéëúò, êúì êîéòî Å. Äåìèðäæèÿí âèíàãè å èçïèòâàë ñëàáîñò, íî êàòî ÷å ëè å áèë ðàçìèâàí â îáùàòà ñòèõèÿ íà áîèòå. Ñåãà ÷îâåê ìîæå äà ðàçãëåæäà ñ ÷àñîâå îòäåëíè åëåìåíòè â íåãîâèòå êàðòèíè. Äàðáàòà ìó íà ðèñóâà÷ òóê ñå èçÿâÿâà ÷ðåç èçÿùíèòå ëèíèè, íàíåñåíè ñ âúðõà íà ÷åòêàòà è ñúçäàâàùè ìíîãî îò ïðåöèçíîñòòà íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà. Õàðàêòåðåí çà ïîñëåäíèòå ðàáîòè íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å áàëàíñúò íà ðúáà íà àáñòðàêòíîòî è ðåàëíîòî. Àêî òðÿáâà äà äàäåì îïðåäåëåíèå íà ñòèëà ìó, åäíî îò âúçìîæíèòå å ôàíòàñòè÷åí åêñïðåñèîíèçúì. Âòîðàòà ÷àñò îò íåãî ñå îòíàñÿ äî íà÷èíà ìó íà ðàáîòà è íà ïîëàãàíå íà áîèòå, à ïúðâàòà çàñÿãà èìåííî îíîâà ñòðàííî óñåùàíå çà äâèæåíèå ìåæäó ïîçíàòîòî è íåïîçíàòîòî, ìåæäó çåìíîòî è èçâúíçåìíîòî. Ìíîãî îò ïîñëåäíèòå ìó êàðòèíè íàïîìíÿò ïåéçàæ èëè íàòþðìîðò, çàùîòî â òÿõ îòêðèâàìå çàãàòíàòè ïîçíàòè åëåìåíòè îò íàòóðàòà. Îáùîòî âïå÷àòëåíèå îáà÷å êëîíè ïîâå÷å êúì àáñòðàêöèÿòà. Âñúùíîñò â òîçè ñïåöèôè÷åí áàëàíñ ñå êðèå îðèãèíàëíîñòòà è ñèëàòà íà òâîð÷åñòâîòî íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí. Ñàìèÿò òîé êàçâà: “ êàðòèíèòå ñå ñòðåìÿ äà ñëåÿ àáñòðàêòíàòà èçðàçèòåëíîñò è êðàñîòà íà öâåòà, ôîðìàòà, ôàêòóðàòà, äâèæåíèåòî ñ ôèãóðàòèâíîòî íà÷àëî. Äèíàìèêàòà íà âðåìåòî, â êîåòî æèâååì, ìîæå äà ñå èçðàçè è ïî òîçè íà÷èí.” Îáîáùàâàéêè îáðàçà íà õóäîæíèêà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí, ìîæåì äà êàæåì, ÷å òîé å ñúñòàâåí îò äâå îñíîâíè ÷åðòè – âèñîê ïðîôåñèîíàëèçúì è íåâåðîÿòíà ôàíòàçèÿ. Ñïîñîáíîñòòà áåçêðàéíî äà èçìèñëÿ íîâè ôîðìè, ñèòóàöèè, öâåòîâå è åíåðãè÷íî äà ãè ïîìåñòâà â ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî íà ïëàòíîòî îïðåäåëÿ èçíåíàäàòà âúâ âñÿêà ñëåäâàùà êàðòèíà. Òåçè êà÷åñòâà íè ïîäñêàçâàò, ÷å îò õóäîæíèêà ùå î÷àêâàìå è íîâè ïðåâúïëúùåíèÿ. Ìàðèÿ Âàñèëåâà ñï. Ðóæèöà, 1991 / 4

Êðàé áðåãà íà ìîðåòî, 1987 ìàñëåíè áîè, ôàçåð, 81õ100 ñì.

By the Sea Coast, 1987 oil on fibreboard, 81õ100 cm

Âèñÿù êàëêàí I, 1989, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

Hanging Turbot I, 1989, oil on canvas, 46õ38 cm

Âèñÿù êàëêàí II, 1989, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

Hanging Turbot II, 1989, oil on canvas, 46õ38 cm

Èíòåðèîð, 1989 ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 65õ81 ñì.

Interior, 1989 oil on canvas, 65õ81 cm

Edmond Demirdjian’s work evolved substantially over a relatively short period of time. Along the way he went through different phases which complement and make up what he is now. Straight out of Art Academy he launched into his ”analytical” period – the young artist studied profoundly Cezanne, Braque, Picasso. Notebook after notebook with comments and drawings on theory of colour, composition, line, etc. His paintings of those days reveal a passion for constructionalism. The portrays, compositions and still-lives give away a good hand for drawing and colouring, and a sense for intense though harmonic shades. His first exhibition in 1979 was a huge success.

The period that followed went off into a completely different direction.

For several years the artist painted figural compositions in tempera. They were striking with the grotesque plot and typical personages. There is something from the world of circus in the air of most of them – male and female figures, ladders, balls, wheels, hoops – and everything whirling in a cyclic rhythm. In these works one can see the traits that will yet remain part of his art thereafter, his distinctive optimism, high spirit, cheerfulness even when more sober, profound notes lurk behind them.

When he returned to oil he came back with greater ambition. In his 1978 exhibition he displayed over 70 canvases, bringing together portrays, stilllives, landscapes and compositions, with relative independence in each genre. As for his style, he seems to have combined the bright, intense and powerful colours of the first period with the vitality of imagery of the second. But still there are discrepancies – at times the realistic approach clashes with the principle of creating a painting on a flat surface, at other times the mere aggression of the brush and colour is so great that it turns into conflict. The artist is different in almost every painting as if he is still experimenting, as if he seeks to find his true nature.

After these years of industry Edmond Demirdjian entered perhaps not his most mature but certainly his most harmonic period. In the thematic sequence he developed over several years he reached an aesthetic precision worthwhile for its perfection in composition and colouring. His sequence of 25 works entitled ”Hanging Fish” displayed at the autumn exhibition in Plovdiv were the height of this period. The provoking composition and the mere character of those works gave rise to the claim of Edmond Demirdjian’s ”patent”. The artist seemed to enjoy his own virtuosity in composition, in creating structures, free application of colour and creation of complex nuances, delicate transitions and ”deep” local spots. Unlike his earlier canvases with their overarching chaos of the whole, with backgrounds surging to blend with the image, these are much more at peace, the layers are more distinct, the aggression of the centre calms down into the clear space behind. Detail has found a much more distinctive place, and detail has always been Demirdjian’s passion, but until now has always been diluted into the overall tempest of colours.

Now one could well spend hours studying individual elements on his paintings. His talent for drawing can be seen in the exquisite lines made with the tip of the brush, creating ultimate precision in the composition.

Edmond Demirdjian’s latest paintings come with a fine balance between the abstract and the real. And should one give a definition of his style, one option may be to call it expressionistic fiction. The first part comes from the way he applies paint, and the second is all about that strange sense of movement between the known and the unknown, between the earthly and the extraterrestrial. Many of his latest works remind of landscapes or still-lives with the numerous hints of recognisable elements taken from nature. But generally one would mainly be inclined to think of the abstract. And it is indeed in this quite striking balance that Edmond Demirdjian’s originality and artistic power lie. He claims that ”In my paintings I try to merge the abstract expressiveness with the beauty of colour, form, texture, the motion of the figurative. The dynamics of the time we live in can be expressed like this as well.”

To summarise Edmond Demirdjian’s image as an artist, it would be fair to say that he is made up of two major trends – incredible professionalism and astounding imagination. The capacity to keep coming up with new forms, plots, colours, the energy of encompassing them within the canvas is prerequisite for the surprise in each painting. These come to assure us that there is yet new incarnations to see from this artist.

Maria Vassileva Ruzhitsa magazine, 1991/4

Ïåéçàæ ñ êúùà, 1989 ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 50õ65 ñì.

Landscape with House, 1989 oil on canvas, 50õ65 cm Çåëåíî íåáå, 1989 ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 60õ73 ñì.

Green Sky, 1989 oil on canvas, 60õ73 cm

Íàòþðìîðò ñ âàçà, 1993, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Still Life with Vase, 1993, oil on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Íîùåí íàòþðìîðò, 1993, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Nocturnal Still Life, 1993, oil on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Ëåòÿùè ôîðìè, 1993, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Flying Shapes, 1993, oil on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Êîìïîçèöèÿ, 1993, ìàñëåíè áîè, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Composition, 1993, oil on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Ню Йорк

Íÿêîè èçñëåäîâàòåëè íà òâîð÷åñòâîòî ñìÿòàò, ÷å åäèí íîâ, ìîäåðåí Ðåíåñàíñ ìîæå äà áúäå ñëåäñòâèå îò ñìóòíèòå âðåìåíà è ñâúðçàíèòå ñ òÿõ âúëíåíèÿ ó íàöèèòå, êîèòî ñå îñâîáîäèõà ñëåä êðàõà íà êîìóíèñòè÷åñêèÿ áëîê. Ìîäåðíèñòè÷íîòî èçêóñòâî íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí ñ ëåêîòà ìîæå äà ïîòâúðäè òàçè òåîðèÿ, êàêòî è èäåÿòà çà ïîëçîòâîðíàòà ñâîáîäà. Äåìèðäæèÿí îñâîáîæäàâà ìîäåðíîòî èçêóñòâî â ñâîèòå êàðòèíè, èçïúëíåíè ñ áëÿñúê, ôàíòàçèÿ è ñåáåóòâúðæäàâàíå. Toé äîðàçâèâà íàëîæåíàòà òðàäèöèÿ íà áèîìîðôíàòà àáñòðàêöèÿ ÷ðåç æèâèòåëíà ïîäðåäåíîñò è ÿ ïðåâðúùà â ÿðêà è èçïúëíåíà ñ íàñëàäà ìèñòåðèÿ. Ïî âðåìå íà ñâîÿ ïåðèîä íà ôîðìèðàíå â Áúëãàðèÿ õóäîæíèêúò ñå çàíèìàâà ñúñ ñâîåòî ëè÷íî òâîð÷åñêî ðàçâèòèå òèï “ñàìèçäàò”, êàòî èçó÷àâà òàéíî âíåñåíè ðåïðîäóêöèè íà çàáðàíåíè ìîäåðíèñòè. Òîé å çàêëåò ìîäåðíèñò, ïîòîïèë ñå â íàó÷íîòî èçó÷àâàíå íà òàêèâà ôèãóðè êàòî Ñåçàí, Ïèêàñî è Äå Êóíèíã. Ïðè ïî-êúñíèòå ñè ïúòóâàíèÿ òâîðåöúò îñúçíàâà íåîáõîäèìîñòòà äà íàïàñíå àáñòðàêöèÿòà è ïðèðîäàòà êúì ïîäòèñêàùàòà ìîäåðíîñò íà åæåäíåâèåòî. Ñïàñåíèåòî çà Äåìèðäæèÿí å â ìîäåðíèÿ òèï áèîìîðôíà àáñòðàêöèÿ, êîÿòî îòêðèâàìå â èçáðàíè ïëàòíà íà Ïèêàñî îò êðàÿ íà äâàéñåòòå è åñòåñòâåíî â Ìèðî èëè Ãîðêè èëè ïúê âúâ âåòðîïîêàçàòåëèòå íà êúñíèÿ Êàíäèíñêè. Äà íå ãîâîðèì çà ñõîäñòâîòî ñ Òàíãè èëè ñ ïî-ðàçâèòèòå ñòðóêòóðè íà Ôðàíñèñ Áåéêúí. Òîâà å âèä ñþððåàëèçúì, íî íå îò òèïà õàëþöèíàíöèîííà ãðîòåñêà íà Ìàãðèò èëè Äàëè. Ïî-ñêîðî å ïðèáëèçèòåëíà, îòêîëêîòî òî÷íà ñèìâîëèêà. Åëèïòè÷íî âíóøåíèå íà îðãàíèçìà è àëþçèÿ çà îáðàçà íà æèçíåíàòà ñèëà è åäíîâðåìåííî ñàðêàçìà ó ÷îâåêà.  òîâà öàðñòâî íà äðúçêàòà è ïðîìåíÿùà ñå ïúñòðîòà, íà íàñèòåíèÿ ñèìâîë è ìèñòåðèîçíèÿ ðååù ñå çíàê, Äåìèðäæèÿí ñúçèðà ìàãè÷åñêàòà õàðìîíèÿ íà ôèçè÷åñêàòà è äóõîâíàòà ïðèðîäà. Íåãîâèòå îáèòàòåëè áåçãðèæíî íàñåëÿâàò ñîáñòâåíàòà ñè öâåòíà óíèêàëíîñò â áåçêðàÿ, êîéòî ëúêàòóøè è íåëåïî ñå èçâèâà â ñòèëà íà íåïðåâîäèìèòå ãëàâîáëúñêàíèöè íà Ëóèñ Êàðîë. Òÿõíàòà îáèòåë íå ïðåäñòàâëÿâà ñþððåàëèñòè÷íî åäíîîîáðàçíà, ðàâíà è ñóõà ïóñòèííè ðàâíèíà, à ÿðêà èëþñòðàöèÿ íà ÷óäàòèÿ êèïÿù æèâîò, â êîéòî áèâàìå ïîòîïåíè. Áîãàòèòå öâåòîâå íà Äåìèðäæèÿí ïðåõâúðëÿò ãðàíèöàòà íà îñòàðåëèòå çëîêîáíè ñþððåàëèñòè÷íè ðåïëèêè íà çåìíèòå òîíîâå, çà äà ñå ïðåâúðíàò â ÿðêî ñúîòâåòñòâèå íà ñâðúõåñòåñòâåíîòî âíóøåíèå, ïðîêðàäâàùî ñå â òåõíèÿ ëåòàðãè÷åí ñâÿò, èíòåðïðåòèðàíî ñ ïðåöèçíîñò è ôèíåñ, ÷èÿòî åíèãìà îñòàâà íåîïåòíåíà îò íåäîäÿëàíè ïðåäïîëîæåíèÿ. Îáðàçúò å ñúçäàäåí ñ óâåðåíîñò è íåïîêîëåáèìî ïëàñòè÷íî ñúâúðøåíñòâî âúç îñíîâà íà ñúâðåìåííàòà íè ìîäåðíà òðàäèöèÿ. Òàçè óâåðåíîñò ïðàâè èçêóñòâîòî íà Äåìèðäæèÿí ðàçëè÷íî è àâòîðèòåòíî â ñâåòà íà äíåøíàòà ìîäåðíîñò. Àíäðþ Ìàêäîíúë 25.11.1994

< Äèàëîã, 1995, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ97 ñì.

Dialogue, 1995, acrylic on canvas, 130õ97 cm

Òàíöúò íà ôîðìèòå, 1995, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ120 ñì.

The Dance of Shapes, 1995, acrylic on canvas, 90õ120 cm

 áîòàíè÷åñêàòà ãðàäèíà, 1995, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ120 ñì.

In the Botanical Garden, 1995, acrylic on canvas, 90õ120 cm

Some researchers into creativity think that a new modern Renaissance may result from the turmoil and consequent creative ferment in those nations now free with the collapse of the communist bloc. The modernist art of Edmond Demirdjian can help confirm that theory, and fruitful liberty.

Demirdjian liberates modern art – fettered in East and West alike by dull dogmatisms – in paintings of luster, fantasy, and authority. And he extends the venerable tradition of biomorphic abstraction by lively discipline, in a bright mystery of delight. In his formative years in Bulgaria, he pursued his personal artistic development in samizdat style, by studying smuggled reproductions of the forbidden moderns.

He was a committed modernist, immersed in scientific research of such figures as Cezanne, Picasso, and De Kooning. In his later travels, the artist became aware of the need to accommodate abstraction and nature to the aggravated modernity of daily life.

Demirdjian’s recourse is the modernist phylum of biomorphic abstraction, stemming from select paintings by Picasso in the late twenties; or certainly from Miro, or Gorky, or the whirligigs of late Kandinsky. And there is kinship to Tanguy, or the more advanced structures in Francis Bacon. It is called a species of surrealism: but it is not the hallucinatory caricature of Magritte or Dali. It is approximate rather than accurate figuration: the elliptic intimation of organism, and the allusion of vision to the vital put pungently humane. With this domain of sporting and veering motley, of teeming symbol or eerie floating sign, Demirdjian observes the oneiric accord of psychic and physical nature. His denizens gaily populate their own technicolor singularity, in the continuum that bends and reels mimsy with the slithy Carrollian toves that gyre or gimbel in it. Their habitats are not the surrealist’s humdrum desert flats and arid places, but are vivid revetments of the odd spry life they spring upon us. Demirdjian’s rich colors go beyond the old ominous surrealist retort of earth tones, to leap lurid match for the weird hint limpid in their suspended world, which is rendered with an exactitude and finesse whose enigma suffers no smudge or sloppy guess. Its image is made with an assurance and decisive plastic excellence based in our modem tradition. That confidence makes Edmond Demirdjian’s art distinctive and authoritative in today’s modernity.

Andrew McDonnell November 25, 1994

> Àçáóêàòà íà Åäìîíä, 1995, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 120õ90 ñì.

Edmond’s Alphabet, 1995, acrylic on canvas, 120õ90 cm

Досев

Åòàæåðêè, 1997, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 120õ120 ñì.

Shelves, 1997, acrylic on canvas, 120õ120 cm

Ïîñëåäíàòà èçëîæáà íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å çàìèñëåíà è ðåàëèçèðàíà ñïåöèàëíî çà ãàëåðèÿ “Äîñåâ” è òîâà ëè÷è îùå îò ïðúâ ïîãëåä – äîáðå íàìåðåíîòî è áàëàíñèðàíîòî ñúîòíîøåíèå ìåæäó ôîðìàòèòå íà êàðòèíèòå è îáùîòî ïðîñòðàíñòâî, â óñïîêîÿâàùàòà ðèòìè÷íîñò íà îáøèðíèòå “ïóñòè” çîíè ìåæäó òÿõ, êîèòî äîïúëíèòåëíî àêöåíòèðàò è ôîêóñèðàò âíèìàíèåòî âúðõó îáðàçèòå.  òîçè ñìèñúë ïðåäñòàâÿíåòî íà àâòîðà öåëè äà ïîñòèãíå åäíà öÿëîñòíà ïëàñòè÷åñêà îðãàíèêà. Íå ñëó÷àéíî äîìèíèðà ñåðèéíèÿò ïðèíöèï íà òâîðáèòå, êîèòî ñà ïðàâåíè ïðåç ïîñëåäíèòå íÿêîëêî ìåñåöà. Åòî çàùî îòäåëíèÿò æèâîïèñåí îïóñ äî ãîëÿìà ñòåïåí ñúäúðæà èíôîðìàöèÿ çà åêñïîçèöèÿòà, à îò ñâîÿ ñòðàíà òðóäíî ìîæå äà áúäå îñìèñëåí èçâúí íåéíèÿ êîíòåêñò. Îòäàâíà ñëåäÿ ðàçâèòèåòî íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí è ìîãà äà êîíñòàòèðàì, ÷å ñåãàøíàòà ìó æèâîïèñ å ëîãè÷íî è çàêîíîìåðíî ñëåäñòâèå íà ïðåäèøíèòå ìó äîñòèæåíèÿ. Öâåòúò ìîæå áè å ïîçàãóáèë ÷àñò îò ñâîÿòà íåïîñðåäñòâåíà ñèãíàëíà çâó÷íîñò, íî å ñïå÷åëèë îòêúì ìîäóëèðàíå è âúòðåøíî òîíàëíî ðèòìèçèðàíå íà îáùàòà êîìïîçèöèîííà ïîñòðîéêà. Õóäîæíèêúò ñÿêàø ïðèëàãà åäèí “ìåê” âàðèàíò íà àáñòðàêöèÿòà, êîÿòî îáà÷å íåïðåñòàííî ñå äâèæè ïî ðúáà íà âúçìîæíèòå ôèãóðàòèâíè àñîöèàöèè, ïîäñèëâàéêè óñåùàíåòî çà äèíàìè÷íè è åäâà ëè íå ïóëñèðàùè ìåòàìîðôîçè. Çàä âèäèìàòà èìïðîâèçàöèîííà ëåêîòà è ñâîáîäíàòà èãðà íà âúîáðàæåíèåòî ïðîçèðà ñîëèäíîòî è çàäúëáî÷åíî êîìïîçèðàíå íà ðàçëè÷íèòå âàðèàíòè, êîåòî äîâåæäà äî îïòèìàëíèÿ ðåçóëòàò. Ñëåäèòå íà òîçè ïðîöåñ âïðî÷åì ìîæåì äà âèäèì â åäíà ÷àñò îò ïðåäñòàâåíèòå ïðîèçâåäåíèÿ, â êîèòî æèâîïèñíàòà òúêàí íà ïëàòíîòî âëèçà â äèàëîã ñ êîëàæíè ôðàãìåíòè îò åñêèçíè ðàçðàáîòêè. Ìàêàð è ïðîòèâîðå÷èâè, ïîíå çà ìåí, êàòî õóäîæåñòâåí ðåçóëòàò, òåçè òâîðáè ñà òâúðäå èíòåðåñíè èìåííî îò ãëåäíà òî÷êà íà êîíêðåòíîòî ïðîñëåäÿâàíå íà îòäåëíèòå åòàïè íà õóäîæíè÷åñêèÿ òðóä, êîèòî èíà÷å îñòàâàò ñêðèòè çà çðèòåëÿ. Äèðåêòíàòà åêñïðåñèâíîñò è ìàñèðàíàòà àòàêà íà ëèíèè è ôîðìè, ñâîéñòâåíè íà çíà÷èòåëíà ÷àñò îò ïî-ðàííèòå ðàáîòè íà àâòîðà, ñåãà ñà îòñòúïèëè ïðåä ïî-óìúäðåíàòà è ñèíòåçèðàíà îðãàíèçàöèÿ íà åëåìåíòèòå, ïðè êîåòî çíà÷èòåëíà å ðîëÿòà íà âåðòèêàëèòå è õîðèçîíòàëèòå, ðàçïðåäåëåíè ïîíÿêîãà êàòî ñâîåîáðàçíà “ìðåæà”, íà êîÿòî ñå ïðîåêòèðàò îòäåëíèòå ìîòèâè. Òàçè îñîáåíîñò íà ïîñëåäíèòå êàðòèíè íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å âàæåí ðåçóëòàò îò óïîðèòè è öåëåíàñî÷åíè òúðñåíèÿ êúì ñúçíàòåëíî ðåäóöèðàíå íà èçãðàæäàùèòå êàðòèíàòà êîìïîíåíòè.  ðàìêèòå íà èçáðàíàòà îò íåãî ïëàñòè÷íà ñèñòåìà ñúùåñòâóâàò îãðîìåí, ïðàêòè÷åñêè íåîãðàíè÷åí áðîé âàðèàòèâíè âúçìîæíîñòè, êîèòî â êðàéíà ñìåòêà îïðåäåëÿò ïàðàìåòðèòå íà áúäåùàòà ïðîãðàìíà íàñî÷åíîñò íà èçâåñòíèÿ íàø æèâîïèñåö. ×àâäàð Ïîïîâ ñï. Èçêóñòâî, 1997 / 43-44

Ïåðñîíàæ, 1997 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ97 ñì.

Personage, 1997 acrylic on canvas, 130õ97 cm

Edmond Demirdjian’s latest exhibition was planned and created especially for Dossev Gallery. That is obvious from the very first look – a well developed and balanced relationship of canvas formats and the entire space, a soothing rhythm of the vast ”empty” spaces between them which simply further emphasise and focus the attention onto the image. And in this sense the author’s appearance aims to achieve one wholesome integrity of form. Hence the sequences of paintings from the past few months. It is also why the individual painting opus to a huge extent contains the information of the exhibition, and on the other hand may not be interpreted outside its context.

I have been following Edmond Demirdjian’s development and I can now claim that his latest paintings are a logical and lawful consequence of his previous achievements. Perhaps the colour has lost some of its non-inhibited intensity, but it has also gained modul, internal rhythm of shade within the total construction of the composition. It is as if the artist is offering a ”light” version of the abstract which though won’t stop moving along the edge of possible figurative associations, enhancing the feeling of dynamic, almost pulsating metamorphosis. Behind the obvious ease for improvisation and the free play of imagination there is a solid, profound composition in multitude variants leading to optimal results. And in fact there are traces of this process in some of the exhibited works, in which the texture of the canvas launches into dialogue with the collage fragments of the sketch elaborations. And however controversial artistically, or at least they are to me, these works are way too interesting precisely with the point of view of each step of the artist’s process, which often remains hidden to the spectator.

The direct expressiveness and the massive attack of lines and form so typical of most of the author’s early works has now given way to a more profound, synthesized organisation of the elements, with a much more substantial role of the horizontal and vertical, at times distributed in a sort of ”network”, onto which the individual motifs are projected. This peculiarity in Edmond Demirdjian’s latest paintings is the result of industrious, consistent quest into the conscious reduction of components in the painting. Within the framework of the system he has chosen there are an enormous amount – practically boundless number of variants which ultimately define the parameters of the future programme of this renowned Bulgarian painter.

Chavdar Popov Izkustvo magazine, 1997/ 43-44

Êîíñòðóêöèÿ I, II, III, 1997, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 140õ60 ñì.

Construction I, II, III, 1997, acrylic on canvas, 140õ60 cm

Êîìïîçèöèÿ â ñèíüî, 1997, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 97õ130 ñì.

Composition in Blue, 1997, acrylic on canvas, 97õ130 cm

Åäèí ïî-ðàçëè÷åí Åäìîíä Äåìè ðäæèÿí íè áå ïðåäñòàâåí â ãàëåðèÿ Äîñåâ. Òàçè èçëîæáà ñÿêàø èçâåæäà åñåíöèÿòà íà ïðåäèøíèòå ìó ðàáîòè. Õàðàêòåðíèòå ñèìâîëè è ôîðìè, êîèòî òîé èçïîëçâà, ñà èçâàäåíè îò êàêúâòî è äà áèëî íàìåê çà èëþçîðíî ïðîñòðàíñòâî, çà äà ïðèäîáèÿò íàïúëíî çíàêîâà ñòðóêòóðèðàíîñò. Òÿ ñå äîïúëâà îò ãðóïèðàíåòî íà ãîëåìèòå íåðàìêèðàíè ïëàòíà ïî òðè. Ïîâòîðÿåìîñòòà íà ñèìâîëèòå – âåäíúæ â ðàìêèòå íà ñàìàòà êàðòèíà è âòîðè ïúò – â ïîâòîðåíèåòî íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà, íî â äðóã öâåòîâè ïîðÿäúê, ïðèäàâà ñâîåîáðàçíà ðèòìèêà è ïîäðåäåíîñò íå ñàìî íà ñàìèòå ðàáîòè, íî è íà åêñïîçèöèÿòà êàòî öÿëî. Âåðîÿòíî èìåííî ðèòúì å êëþ÷îâàòà äóìà, îñîáåíî êîãàòî ãîâîðèì çà àâòîð, ïîâå÷å îò èçêóøåí â ìóçèêàòà. Íîâî å èçïîëçâàíåòî íà íÿêàêúâ âèä êîëàæåí ïðèíöèï (âêëþ÷âàù ãðàôè÷íè è åëåìåíòè íà ïå÷àòàí òåêñò) â íÿêîè ðàáîòè, êàêòî è èíòåðåñúò êúì ðàçèãðàâàíå íà ñàìîòî ïàíî íà òâîðáàòà, çà öåëèòå íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà – ãåîìåòðè÷íè “äóïêè” â öåíòúðà íà êàðòèíàòà. Àâòîðúò å çàïàçèë èãðîâèÿ ñè ïîäõîä êàêòî â îòíîøåíèåòî ñè êúì ìàòåðèàëà è “ñþæåòà”, òàêà è êúì çðèòåëÿ. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí âèíàãè å èçêóøàâàë çðèòåëÿ äà òúðñè íà÷èíè äà “ðàç÷åòå” íåãîâèÿ èçìèñëåí ñâÿò, äà îòêðèâà ïàðàëåëèòå ìó â äåéñòâèòåëíîñòòà èëè ïî ïúòèùàòà íà ôàíòàçèÿòà, äàâàéêè ìó âúçìîæíîñò çà ñâîáîäíà èíòåðïðåòàöèÿ. Ëîãè÷íîñòòà è êîíöåíòðèðàíîñòòà, ïðèñúñòâàùè â òåçè ðàáîòè, ïðèâèäíî îáåùàâàò ëåñíî ðàçãàäàâàíå íà “êîäà”. Òîé îáà÷å å ïîâå÷å îò âñÿêîãà èç÷èñòåí îò ïðåêè àñîöèàòèâíè âðúçêè è îñòàâà íåðàçãàäàåì ïî ðàöèîíàëåí ïúò. Êëþ÷úò å îòíîâî â êîëîðèòà è â õàðàêòåðíàòà åêñïðåñèâíà ñèëà, êîÿòî èìà òîé ïðè Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí. ßðúê, àêòèâåí, ïðîâîêèðàù, òîé ïðåâðúùà çíàêà â èçðàç íà ïúðâè÷íà åíåðãèÿ. Öâåòúò äîðàçêðèâà, èçÿñíÿâà, íî è â åäèí ìîìåíò îáåçñìèñëÿ èíòåëåêòóàëíîòî íàïðåæåíèå îò “÷åòåíåòî”, çà äà îñòàíå ÷èñòàòà, çàâëàäÿâàùà åìîöèÿ. Äîêàçâà ãî è òúðñåíåòî íà ðàçëè÷íî âúçäåéñòâèå èìåííî ïîñðåäñòâîì êîëîðèñòè÷íèòå âàðèàöèè íà ñõîäíè êîìïîçèöèè è ôîðìè. Âúïðåêè àíàëèòè÷íîñòòà íà ïîäîáåí ïîäõîä âíóøåíèåòî å çà àáñîëþòíà ñâîáîäà, ëåêîòà è íåïîñðåäñòâåíîñò íà èçêàçà, áëàãîäàðåíèå èìåííî íà ñèëàòà íà öâåòà. Äåñèñëàâà Äèìîâà â. Êóëòóðà, 4.07.1997 ã.

Èíòåðèîð I, II, III, 1997 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 100õ150 ñì.

Interior I, II, III, 1997 acrylic on canvas, 100õ150 cm

This was a different Edmond Demirdjian we saw at the Dossev Gallery. His exhibition now seems to lead from the essence of his previous works. Symbols and forms so typical of his works have now been taken out of any hint of illusionary space to become a sign structure. It is complemented with the arrangement of non-framed canvases in groups of three.

The recurrence of the symbols – once within the painting itself and again in the repetition of the composition in a different colour sequence – create a feel for rhythm and order not only in the individual works but also in the entire exhibition. And perhaps rhythm is the key word, especially with an author who is more than tempted by music.

Novelty is the collage-type principle he applies (including graphic elements and print text) in some works, as well as his interest in playing with the mere canvas for the sake of composition – the geometric ”holes” in the middle of the painting. The author has preserved his playful approach both in treating the material and the ”plot”, as well as the spectator. Edmond Demirdjian has always lured the audience into looking for ways to ”read” his make-belief world, to find its parallel realities or go down fantasy routes full of opportunities for free interpretation. The logic and concentration in these works seemingly promise an easy crack of the ”code”. But now more than ever before the latter has been cleared of all direct associative connections and remains unintelligible from a rational perspective. The key once again is in the colouring and the typical expressive power Edmond Demirdjian has. Bright, active, provoking, he turns the sign into an expression of primal energy. The colour reveals further, explains more, but at a certain point denies the meaning of the intellectual tension of ”reading”, to leave it up to pure, succumbing emotion. The proof for this lies in the quest of the variety of influences through colour variations of similar compositions and forms. And despite the analytical inclination of this approach, the message clearly comes through as absolute freedom, ease and sincerity of expression, and mainly due to the power of colour.

Dessislava Dimova Kultura newspaper, 4.07.1997

> Êîëàæ I, II, III, IV, 1997, õàðòèÿ, 30õ40 ñì.

Collage I, II, III, IV, 1997, paper, 30õ40 cm

Åäìîíä Äåìè ðäæèÿí èçáèðà ãðàíèöàòà ìåæäó îáðàçà è ñëîâîòî, çà äà îòïðàâè ïîñëàíèåòî ñè êúì ïóáëèêàòà ñ îòêðèòàòà íà 3 àïðèë â ãàëåðèÿ “Àëåêñàíäúð” èçëîæáà “Éåðîãëèôè”.

Êîìïîçèöèÿ ñ éåðîãëèô, 2000 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

Composition with Hieroglyphs, 2000 acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Åêñïîçèöèÿòà âêëþ÷âà ïîñëåäíèòå òâîðáè íà õóäîæíèêà. Ñðåä òÿõ ñà “Àçáóêà”, “Ïúòóâàíå”, “Ñúíÿò íà ñàìóðàÿ”, “Òîàëåòúò íà ãåéøàòà”, “Ñêðèòî æåëàíèå”, “Ãîòîâíîñò”, “Ñàìî÷óâñòâèåòî íà âîèíà”, “Èãðà÷êè çà âúçðàñòíè”. Ïî åäèí éåðîãëèô å â îñíîâàòà íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà íà âñÿêà òâîðáà. “Ñèíüîòî”, “Ñêðèòîòî æåëàíèå”, èçãðàäåíîòî ÷ðåç ñèíüî-æúëò äèñîíàíòåí êîíòðàñò “Ïúòóâàíå” èçäàâàò ñêëîííîñòòà íà õóäîæíèêà äà âïëèòà â ïëàòíàòà ñè è ñåìàíòèêà íà öâåòà. Öâåòúò ñå ñâúðçâà ñìèñëîâî ñ îáðàçà, à îáðàçúò èçãðàæäà éåðîãëèô. Èãðàòà íà ôîðìèòå å îòïðàâåíî êúì çðèòåëÿ ïðåäèçâèêàòåëñòâî äà ñå â÷åòå â îáðàçà, çàãàòíàò îò çàãëàâèåòî è äà äîñòèãíå äî ñúùíîñòòà. À ñúùèíàòà Äåìèðäæèÿí “çàêëþ÷âà” â ñú÷åòàíèåòî íà àáñòðàêòíàòà èçðàçíîñò ñ êðàñîòàòà íà ôîðìà, ëèíèÿ, öâÿò è äâèæåíèå.  òâîðáèòå ìó ñå äîëàâÿò îòïðàòêè êúì ñþððåàëèçìà, êúì áèîìîðôíèòå ñòðóêòóðè íà Õóàí Ìèðî, íî ïðå÷óïåíè ïðåç ïîãëåäà íà áóåí è òåìïåðàìåíòåí òâîðåö, çà êîãîòî ðèòúìúò è ÷èñòàòà, “çàðåæäàùà” çâó÷íîñò íà öâåòà ñà íà÷èí íà ìèñëåíå. Åíåðãèÿ, áëèêàùà åìîöèîíàëíîñò, êîíòðàñò è èíòåíçèâíà öâåòíîñò ïðèñúñòâàò âúâ âñÿêî îò ïëàòíàòà íà Äåìèðäæèÿí. Òîé èçïîëçâà “ôîðìóëàòà” íà èçòî÷íàòà ìúäðîñò è îòðàçÿâà äèíàìèêàòà íà âðåìåòî, â êîåòî æèâååì, êàòî ïðàâè òîâà ñ êîïíåæ ïî áàëàíñà, ïî òúé òðóäíîòî äíåñ ïîñòèãàíå íà ìÿðêàòà è “÷îâåøêèÿ” ìàùàá. Éåðîãëèôúò çà íåãî å ñèíòåçèðàí â èçêàç íà õàðìîíèÿòà. Òîé ñòàâà îñíîâà, êîÿòî ñâúðçâà êîíêðåòíîòî ñ îáùîòî, ðåàëíîòî ñ “íàäðåàëíîòî”, âúíøíèÿò èçðàç ñ âúòðåøíàòà ñòðóêòóðà. Ãëàäêà ïîâúðõíîñò, ÷èñò öâÿò, îáìèñëåíà êîìïîçèöèÿ, îãúâàùà ñå, ïúëíà ñ åêñïðåñèÿ ëèíèÿ ñà ïúòÿò, ïî êîéòî Äåìèðäæèÿí ïîñòèãà åäèíñòâî ïðè âúçïðèåìàíå íà êàðòèíàòà êàòî öÿëî. Äâèæåíèåòî å âúòðåøíî ïðèñúùî íà òâîð÷åñêàòà ìó ïðèðîäà. Õóäîæíèêúò, êîéòî îñâåí â öâåòà òúðñè ìóçèêàòà è â ðèòúìà íà áàðàáàíèòå, ïðåäëàãà â ïëàòíàòà ñè ïúòóâàíå, êîåòî òðúãâà îò õàîñà è ñòèãà äî âúòðåøåí ðåä íà ôîðìà, áàãðà è îùå íåùî... Òîé ïîãëåæäà “çàä” ïîâúðõíîñòòà íà íàøåòî âðåìå è îòðàçÿâà âèäÿíîòî â çíàê. Çíàê, êîéòî ñå îãëåæäà â ñîáñòâåíàòà ñè ñúùíîñò è ñå ïðåâðúùà â îáðàç. Äàíèåëà ×óëîâà â. Êóëòóðà, 14.04.2000

Edmond Demirdjian chooses the borderline between image and speech to address the audience with his new exhibition Hieroglyphics which opened on 3 April at the Alexander Gallery.

The artist’s latest works can be seen there - ”Alphabet”, ”Travel”, ”The Dream of the Samurai”, ”Putting a Face On – a Geisha”, ”Secret Craving”, ”Ready”, ”The Warrior’s Confidence”, ”Toys for Adults” among others. Each work’s composition is based on a certain hieroglyphic. ”The Blue”, ”Secret Craving”, the bluish-yellow dissonant contrast in ”Travel” reveal the artist’s inclination to weave the semantics of colour into his canvases. Colour combines semantically with image, and images are what hieroglyphics are made of. In a game of forms the artist challenges the public to read the image of which the title hints and then to reach the essence. And Demirdjian ”locks” the essence into a mix of abstract expression and the beauty of form, line, colour and movement.

His works make distant references to surrealism, the biomorphic structures of Juan Miro, but reflected through the eyes of a wild, temperamental artist for whom the rhythm and pure, ”charging” sound of colour are simply a way of thinking. Energy, explosive emotion, contrasts and intense colour are part of every Demirdjian canvas. He reaches out to the ”formula” of the wisdom of the East and reflects the dynamics of our contemporary world by craving for balance, striving to achieve the right measure and a ”human” dimension. To him the hieroglyphic is a synthesised statement of harmonics. It is what links the concrete with the generic, the real with the surreal, the the external expression with the internal structure. A smooth surface, a pure colour, a planned composition, a line bending along the way, full of expression – this is how Demerdjian achieves the integrity of his paintings. The movement is internal and it is typical of his artistic nature. The artist who seeks for music not only in colour but also in the rhythm of the drums, takes one on a journey with his canvases, starting from chaos and leading to internal order of form, colour and something else... He looks ”behind” the surface of our time and reflects it symbolically. A symbol which looks back into its own self and becomes an image.

Daniela Chulova Kultura newspaper, 14 April 2000

Êîëàæ I, II, 2001 êîëàæ, õàðòèÿ, 65õ50 ñì.

Collage I, II, 2001 collage on paper, 65õ50 cm

Ìîðñêè ïåéçàæ I, 2003 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Marine Landscape I, 2003 acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

Ïðåäè íÿêîëêî ãîäèíè áÿõ ïèñàëà çà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí, ÷å å õóäîæíèê, êîéòî ñå äâèæè ïî “îñòðèåòî íà áðúñíà÷à” – òîé óñïÿâàøå äà áàëàíñèðà òâúðäå óñïåøíî ìåæäó æèâîïèñòà çà óäîâîëñòâèå è íàñëàäà, è ãîëÿìîòî èçêóñòâî. Ñïîðåä òîãàâàøíèòå íè çàêîíîìåðíî íàèâíè ïðåäñòàâè òîâà áÿõà íå ñàìî ðàçëè÷íè, íî äîðè ïðîòèâîïîëîæíè íåùà. Ñâèêíàëè áÿõìå äà ìèñëèì, ÷å ãîëÿìîòî Èçêóñòâî å ãîëÿìî è êàòî ðàçìåðè, íàòîâàðåíî ñ íåãàòèâíè åìîöèè, ñâúðçàíî ñ åêñïðåñèâíà îáðàçíîñò è áèòóâàùî åñòåñòâåíî ñàìî â èçëîæáåíèòå çàëè – ò.å., ñ íåãî íå ìîæåø äà ñúæèòåëñòâàø â èíòèìíà äîìàøíà îáñòàíîâêà è, ñëåäîâàòåëíî, òî å íåïðîäàâàåìî. Êàìåðíîñòòà â “çîðàòà íà äåìîêðàöèÿòà” ïðåäèçâèêâàøå ñúìíåíèÿ è ðåçåðâè. Âðåìåòî áåøå ôîðìèðàëî ïðèáëèçèòåëíî ñëåäíàòà ïðåäñòàâà çà òîçè òèï æèâîïèñ: ìàëêè ðàçìåðè, äåêîðàòèâíîñò, áàçèðàíà íà àáñòðàêòíà îáðàçíîñò è ïðèÿòåí çà îêîòî êîëîðèò. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí çàå ñâîåòî îñîáåíî ìåæäèííî ìÿñòî îùå â íà÷àëîòî íà 80-òå ãîäèíè. Ðàçáèðà ñå, òîãàâà çà “æèâîïèñ çà íàñëàäà” è äóìà íå ìîæåøå äà ñòàâà. Äåëåíèåòî áåøå ìåæäó ðèñóâàùèòå “àíãàæèðàíè” (èñòîðè÷åñêè,

èäåîëîãè÷åñêè, ñîöèàëíè) êàðòèíè è õóäîæíèöèòå ñúñ ñâîé íåóòðàëåí (ïåéçàæè, íàòþðìîðòè, àáñòðàêòíè êîìïîçèöèè) òåìàòè÷åí êðúã. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí áå ïî-ñêîðî îò âòîðèòå, íî ïîëçâàéêè åëåìåíòè è îò àáñòðàêòíàòà, è îò åêñïðåñèâíàòà òðàäèöèÿ, òîé óñïÿâàøå äà ïîñòèãíå ñâîåîáðàçíà äâóñìèñëåíîñò (èëè ìíîãîñìèñëåíîñò) íà èçîáðàæåíèåòî. Êàðòèíèòå ìó ìîæåõà äà ñå “ïðî÷åòàò” è êàòî íåóòðàëíè íàòþðìîðòè, è êàòî äðàìàòè÷íè åêçèñòåíöèàëíè ðàçìèøëåíèÿ ñ íþàíñ íà ìàëêî ìðà÷íà èðîíèÿ. Òî÷íî çàòîâà è ïðåõîäúò êúì àðòèñòè÷íà ñâîáîäà â íà÷àëîòî íà 90-òå ãîäèíè çà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí íå áå äðàìàòè÷åí, íèòî ìú÷èòåëåí êàòî ïðè ïîâå÷åòî “àíãàæèðàíè” â ìèíàëîòî õóäîæíèöè. Òîé íå ñå íóæäàåøå íèòî îò íîâà “òîíàëíîñò”, íèòî îò “ïðåàðàíæèðàíå”. Ñïîìåíàâàì òîâà çàðàäè äðóãàòà, íå ïî-ìàëêî âàæíà ñòðàíà îò íåãîâàòà òâîð÷åñêà ëè÷íîñò – áàðàáàíèòå. Ìóçèêà è æèâîïèñ ïðè íåãî êàòî ÷å ëè ïðåëèâàò åäíà â äðóãà, âçàèìíî ñå ðàçâèâàò, äîïúëâàò ñå äî ñòåïåí íà íåäåëèìîñò. Åäíà îáùà õóäîæåñòâåíà èäåÿ ñå äâèæè ñâîáîäíî â òåçè äâå ñôåðè íà èçêóñòâîòî, íåçàâèñèìî êîÿ îò òÿõ ÿ å ãåíåðèðàëà. Äîòàì, ÷å ìóçèêàòà ìîæå äà ñå ãëåäà, à æèâîïèñòà äà ñå ñëóøà. Íåñúìíåíî ïðåáèâàâàíåòî íà õóäîæíèêà â ÑÀÙ èçèãðà ðîëÿòà íà êàòàëèçàòîð è â äâåòå ïîñîêè. Íîâèòå ìó êàðòèíè, ïîêàçàíè ó íàñ ïðåç ìèíàëàòà ãîäèíà, îïðåäåëåíî îáîñîáÿâàò “àìåðèêàíñêè” ïåðèîä â òâîð÷åñòâîòî ìó.  òÿõ ëè÷è îñâîáîäåíîñò è ðàçìàõ, ðàçãúðíàëà ñå åíåðãèÿ, íåïîäîçèðàíà èëè ïúê ñòàÿâàíà ïðåäè. Äîðè è ðàçìåðèòå ñà äðóãè: êàìåðíèòå òâîðáè ñà îòñòúïèëè ìÿñòî íà êàðòèíè ãîëÿì ôîðìàò. (Òóê ìîæå äà ñå ïîðàçñúæäàâà çà íàøàòà ìàðãèíàëíîñò èëè ïúê çà òåîðèÿòà, ÷å ðàçìåðúò íà äúðæàâàòà ôîðìèðà è ñúîòâåòíèÿ òèï ìèñëåíå ó õîðàòà). Ïðè âñåêè ñëó÷àé äîðè è òîçè ôîðìàëåí áåëåã å îò çíà÷åíèå. Ïðîìåíèëè ñà ñå è êîëîðèòúò, è îáðàçíèÿò ñòðîé. ßðêè è çâó÷íè öâåòîâå èçãðàæäàò âåñåëè êîìïîçèöèè îò ïðè÷óäëèâè ñúùåñòâà èëè ôðàãìåíòè îò òÿõ. Àìåáîïîäîáíè ôàíòàçíè æèâîòèíêè ùúêàò íàñàì-íàòàì, ïúëçÿò, ëåòÿò, ñêóï÷âàò ñå èëè âíåçàïíî ñå ðàçïðúñêâàò, “óïëàøåíè” îò ðååù ñå íîñ, îêî èëè ïúê âàçà. Ñòðàíåí ñâÿò, íî áåçêðàéíî ïðèâëåêàòåëåí. È îòíîâî â íåãî èìà âñè÷êî çà âñåêè. Çðèòåëÿò ìîæå ïðîñòî äà ñå ëþáóâà íà ðèòìèêà, äâèæåíèå, ôîðìè è öâåòîâå. À ìîæå äà ãè ïðèâèäè è êàòî “çíàöè” è äà ñå çàðîâè â ìíîãîâåêîâíèòå èì ïðàîáðàçè, ñìèñëè è ôóíêöèè. Âñúùíîñò Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å ïðåâúðíàë “îñòðèåòî íà áðúñíà÷à” â äîñòà øèðîê ñâîé ïúò â ñúâðåìåííîòî èçêóñòâî. Äèàíà Ïîïîâà ñï. Ìîäà, 1997 / 9

Ìîðñêè ïåéçàæ II, 2003, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Marine Landscape II, 2003, acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

Ìîðñêè ïåéçàæ III, 2003, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Marine Landscape III, 2003, acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

A few years ago I wrote about Edmond Demidjian describing him as an artist who walks down ”the edge of a razor”. He managed quite successfully to balance between painting for the sake of pleasure and enjoyment, and art in the big sense.

According to our inevitably naive ideas of those days, these were not merely different, but in fact quite opposite things.

We were used to thinking that Art is necessarily big in size, that it bears negative emotion, that it must contain expressive imagery and naturally can only exist in the exhibition hall – i.e. it could not be an intimate companion at home, and therefore it was impossible to sell. Small forms in the ”dawn of democracy” gave reason for doubt. Time had more or less constructed the following image of this type of art – it is small in size, decorative, based on abstract imagery and pleasant colours to the eye.

Edmond Demirdjian found his special in-between place even in the early 1980-s. Of course in those days there was no thinking of ”art for pleasure’s sake”. The distinctions made then were between ”engaged” works (historic plots, ideological, social), and then there were the artists with a neutral thematic focus (landscapes, still-lives, abstract compositions). Edmond Demirdjian was mostly in the second category, though drawing elements from both the abstract and expressive traditions he managed to achieve certain ambiguity (or multiple meanings) in his paintings.

They could be ”read” just as well as neutral still-lives or dramatic existential pondering with nuances of grim irony.

And that was exactly why the transition to artistic liberty in the beginning of the 1990s was not at all dramatic for Edmond Demirdjian. Nor was it a torture as it was for most of the former ”engaged” artists. He did not need a new ”tonality”, nor did he need to ”rearrange”. I am only bringing this up because of that other and by no means less important side to his artistic personality – the drums. Music and painting seemed to merge with him, each developing the other, complementing it to the verge of inseparability.

One common artistic idea freely wandering in both art forms, irrespective of which originally generated it. To the extent that music can be watched and painting can be heard.

There is no doubt that the artist’s stay in the US was the catalyst in both directions. The paintings he showed last year definitely identify an ”American” period in his work. There is a freedom about them and a scope, unsuspected energy (or had it been subdued?). Even the size is different – the small formats have given way to large canvases. (Here is some food for thought on our marginality or else the theory that the size of the country is formative of people’s

attitudes.) In any case even this formal trait matters. There is a change in colour and imagery. The bright, loud colours make up merry compositions of curious creatures or fragments of them.

Amoeba-like imaginary bugs are all over the place, crawling, flying, huddling, or suddenly spreading, ”scared” of a roaming nose, or eye, or even vase. A strange world, but one that is by far very attractive. And again there is something for everyone in it.

The spectator can simply enjoy the rhythm, the movement, the forms and colours. Or may look for the ”signs” in them and start digging into the many centuries of proto-images, meanings and functions.

In fact Edmond Demirdjian has turned ”the edge of the razor” into quite a wide road of his own in contemporary art.

Diana Popova Moda magazine, 1997 /9

Íàòþðìîðò ñ æúëòà äèíÿ, 2004 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 50õ65 ñì.

Still Life with Yellow Water-melon, 2004 acrylic on canvas, 50õ65 cm

Àðëåêèí I, II, III, 2003, àêðèë íà ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Harlequin I, II, III, 2003, acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

Àðìåíñêàòà öúðêâà ìîæå è äà å íàé-ñòàðàòà, íî ðèáèòå íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæÿí íÿìàò ìíîãî îáùî ñ áèáëåéñêèÿ ñèìâîë. Íåùî ïîâå÷å, òîé ñÿêàø ãè ðèñóâà, çà äà ãè èçìúêíå îò äúëáèíèòå íà ñèìâîëèêàòà âúîáùå, êúäåòî êóëòóðàòà ãè å ïîñòàâèëà è íå òè ïîçâîëÿâà è äà ñè ïîìèñëèø, ÷å ìîæåø äà âèäèø ïðîñòî ðèáà. Âìåñòî âå÷íîñò, çàùîòî ìúë÷è. Âìåñòî ìúäðîñò, çàùîòî ñòèãà äî äúíîòî. Âìåñòî îáíîâëåíèå, çàùîòî òó ïîòúâà, òó èçïëóâà íà ïîâúðõíîñòòà. Âìåñòî ïëîäîðîäèå, çàùîòî ÿéöàòà é ñà áåçáðîéíè. Âìåñòî ôàëîñ, çàùîòî ôîðìàòà é ãî íàïîìíÿ. Âìåñòî õàîñ, çàùîòî ãëàâàòà è òÿëîòî é ñà íåðàç÷ëåíèìè. Âìåñòî õðèñòèÿíèí, çàùîòî è òîé ñå ðàæäà îò âîäàòà (íà êðúùåíåòî). Âìåñòî ñàìèÿò Õðèñòîñ, çàùîòî ãðúöêàòà äóìà çà ðèáà “èõòþñ” ñå âúçïðèåìà êàòî èäåîãðàìà íà “Èñóñ-Õðèñòîñ, Ñèí íà Áîã, Ñïàñèòåë”. Òîçè ñïèñúê ìîæå äà ïðîäúëæè äúëãî, íî ñàìî êîëêîòî äà óïîìåíå êàêâî îùå íå ñà ðèáèòå íà Äåìèðäæÿí. Çàùîòî íåãîâîòî àðòèñòè÷íîòî ïîñÿãàíå äàâà ñìèñúë íà íåùàòà, áåç äà ãî âçèìà îò íåùî äðóãî. Íå èãðà íà “÷åðíèÿ ïàçàð” íà çíà÷åíèÿòà.

Ñåðèÿ “Ðèáè”, 2004 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Series ”Fish”, 2004 acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

 àâòîáèîãðàôè÷íàòà ñè êíèãà “Äà óëîâèø ãîëÿìàòà ðèáà” ðåæèñüîðúò Ëèí÷ òâúðäè, ÷å “Èäåèòå ñà êàòî ðèáèòå” è ñúâåòâà: “àêî èñêàòå äà óëîâèòå ãîëÿìà ðèáà, òðÿáâà äà âëåçåòå íàäúëáîêî.  äúëáîêîòî ðèáèòå ñà ïîñèëíè è ïî-èñòèíñêè. Òàì òå ñà îãðîìíè è àáñòðàêòíè. È ìíîãî êðàñèâè”. Äîðè äà å ÷óâàë òîçè ñúâåò, Äåìèðäæÿí ãî ïðåîáðúùà â êàðòèíèòå ñè. Çà äà ðàçáåðåø êîëêî àáñòðàêòíà è êðàñèâà å åäíà ðèáà, òðÿáâà äà ÿ èçâàäèø â ïëèòêîòî, êîãàòî äúíîòî ñå å ïðèáëèæèëî è âå÷å íå å ãðàíèöà ìåæäó ñâåòîâåòå, íå áåçäíà è íåïðîíèöàåìîñò, à å çàïî÷íàëî äà îòðàçÿâà ñâåòëèíàòà. Ïðîñòî õóäîæíèêúò íå èñêà äà ëîâè ðèáà, à ñàìî äà ÿ âèäè, äà ÿ ïðåâúðíå â äàð çà ïîãëåäà, äà ñëåå ñèíüîòî íà î÷èòå (îòâúä ëåùèòå) ñ îíîâà íà ìîðåòî (îòâúä õîðèçîíòà) è íà íåáåòî (îòâúä îáëàöèòå). Ïúê è çà íåãî ðèáèòå íå ñà èäåè.  íàé-äîáðèÿ ñëó÷àé ñà ñïîìåíè: Ñîçîïîë, ìåñòíà áîõåìà, Àçíàâóð, ïèÿíè ðèáàðè, îáëàöè, íî îò ìàñòèêà è ìåíòà – 1:1, ÷åõêèíè, Ìîíìàðòúð, äæàïàíêè, ìîêðè êîñè, ñòåãíàòè äóïåòà, ñåêñ ìåæäó íåïîçíàòè, ìèðèçìà íà ñÿðà, çàìúöè îò ïÿñúê, îáåùàíèÿ, æàëóçè (ðåâíîñò), áåçòåãëîâíîñò Âñè÷êî å âñå òàì – â ðèáèòå íà Åäè, ñòàíàëî å ïîä çâóöèòå íà áàðàáàí ñíîï îò öâåòîâå – òèïè÷åí ïðîäóêò íà êóëòóðàòà íà ñâîáîäíîòî âðåìå, øàðåíà âàêàíöèÿ, íî íå ïðåç òîâà, à ïðåç ìèíàëîòî ëÿòî, çà äà ìîæå ñâîáîäàòà äà íå çàâèñè îò âðåìåòî. Çàùîòî èíà÷å êàêâà òè ñâîáîäà? Ãåîðãè Ëîçàíîâ þëè 2007

The Armenian Chu rch may be one of the oldest but Edmond Demirdjian’s fish have nothing to do with the biblical symbol.

What is more, he seems to be painting them in order to withdraw them from the depths of symbolism itself where culture has placed them hardly even letting you think that what you see may just be a fish. Instead of eternity, since it is silent. Instead of wisdom, since it reaches the very depths. Instead of re-genesis, since at one moment it sinks and at another it swims back to the surface again. Instead of fertility, since its eggs are innumerous. Instead of a phallus, since its shape reminds you of that. Instead of chaos, since its head and body are inseparable. Instead of a Christian, since Christians are also born in the water (of baptism). Instead of Christ himself, since the Greek word for fish – ichtius – is perceived as an ideogram of “Jesus Christ, the son of God, Saviour”. This could make a long list but just to name what else Demirdjian’s fish are not. For his artistic approach gives meaning to things without taking it out from something else. He doesn’t speculate with the “black market” of meanings.

In his autobiography Catching The Big Fish David Lynch claims that “Ideas are like fish” and advises that “if you want to catch a big fish, you have to go deeper. In the deep fish are stronger and more real. There they are huge and abstract. And very beautiful”. Even if he has heard this advice, Demirdjian interprets it quite the opposite in his paintings. Trying to comprehend how abstract and beautiful a fish is you have to pull it out in the shallow just at the point where the bottom has come closer and is no longer a borderline between the worlds or an abyss of imperviousness but has started to reflect the light. It is just that the artist doesn’t want to catch the fish but only see it, turn it into a gift for the sight and blend the blue of the eyes (beyond the lenses) with the blue of the sea (beyond the horizon) and the blue of the sky (beyond the clouds). Moreover, to him fish are not ideas. In the best of cases they are memories: the town of Sozopol, the local bohemians, Aznavour, drunken fishermen, clouds – that strange 1:1 mixture of mastic brandy and mint liqueur, Check women, Montmartre, flip-flops, wet hair, tight butts, sex between strangers, the stink of sulphur, sandcastles, promises, Venetian blinds (jealousy), weightlessness You can find it all there – in Eddie’s fish, a bunch of colours accompanied by a drum beat, a typical product of the culture of leisure time, a brightly coloured holiday, not this but last summer so that freedom does not depend on time. Otherwise what freedom are we talking about?

Georgi Lozanov July 2007

Ñåðèÿ “Ðèáè”, 2004 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Series ”Fish”, 2004 acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

Ñåðèÿ “Ðèáè”, 2004, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 90õ80 ñì.

Series ”Fish”, 2004, acrylic on canvas, 90õ80 cm

Èíòåðèîð ñ ðèáà, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

Interior with a Fish, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Áîãàò óëîâ, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 81õ65 ñì.

Bounty Catch, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 81õ65 cm

Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å çàáåëåæèòåëíà, íî î÷åâèäíî íåäîîöåíåíà êîíñòàíòà â ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî íà áúëãàðñêîòî èçêóñòâî. Òîé å “íàé-íåîáâúðçàíèÿò” è ñàìîñòîÿòåëåí õóäîæíèê, êîãîòî ïîçíàâàì, è íàé-íåçàâèñèìàòà ëè÷íîñò, êàêâàòî ìîæå äà ïðîèçâåäå ñúâðåìåííàòà íè êóëòóðíà ñèòóàöèÿ. Òîé å âñå îùå ïîâå÷å èçâåñòåí êàòî æèâîïèñåö è áúðç ïëîäîâèò ðèñóâà÷, ìàêàð ïðåç ïîñëåäíèòå ãîäèíè ïðîôåñèîíàëíèòå ìó èçÿâè íà ìóçèêàíò áàðàáàíèñò è ïåðêóñèîíåí èìïðîâèçàòîð, äà äîñòèãàò ïî÷òè ñúùàòà ïóáëè÷íîñò. Ïîêàçàòåëíî å, ÷å èìåííî å õóäîæíèê è ìóçèêàíò åäíîâðåìåííî, è òî áåç äà ñå ïðèáÿãâà êúì êàâè÷êè ïðè èçïîëçâàíåòî è íà äâåòå îïðåäåëåíèÿ. Íåâåðîÿòíàòà åíåðãèÿ íà ëè÷íîñòòà Äåìèðäæèÿí ïðîïèâà ïëàòíàòà è ìóçèêàòà ìó, êîèòî ñà ðîäåíè äà ìîòèâèðàò è ñòèìóëèðàò ÷îâåøêàòà åìîöèîíàëíîñò è äà íè îòâàðÿò êúì ïúëíîöåííî âúçïðèÿòèå íà ñâåòà. Òå ñà â àáñîëþòåí àíòàãîíèçúì ñúñ ñåòèâíàòà ñëåïîòà è ãëóõîòà, ïîáåäåíè îò ñòðàñòåí õàðàêòåð è âÿðà â ñèëàòà íà èçêóñòâîòî. Æèâîïèñòà íà Åäìîíä å èçêóñòâî íà öâåòîâå è ôîðìè, ñïîåíè â äîáðå ñòðóêòóðèðàíè êîìïîçèöèè. Íåïîäâëàñòíè ñà íà ìîíîòîííî-íàðàòèâíî èíòåðïðåòèðàíå è âúâ âðåìå, êîãàòî õóäîæåñòâåíèòå èçëîæáè ñà ïðåíàñèòåíè îò òåêñòîâå, àïåëèðàò êúì ãëåäàíå. Êîëêîòî è ïàðàäîêñàëíî äà çâó÷è, Äåìèðäæèÿí å ðåàëèñò, íî íÿìàì ïðåäâèä íàïîäîáèòåëíîòî ïîâòàðÿíå íà âå÷å ñúùåñòâóâàùè îáðàçè è ôîðìè. Êîëêîòî ïî-âíèìàòåëíî ñå ðàçãëåæäàò êàðòèíèòå ìó, òîëêîâà ïî-èíòåðåñíî ñòàâà ðàçãàäàâàíåòî íà âèçóàëíèòå àðõåòèïè, ñ êîèòî âñåêèäíåâíî áîðàâè àâòîðúò. Îùå åäíî çàäúëæèòåëíî óìåíèå íà æèâîïèñåöà – èçãðàæäàíåòî íà ïðîñòðàíñòâî, ïðè Åäìîíä å óñëîæíåíî îò îòêàç ñïðÿìî òðèèçìåðíèÿ íàòóðàëèçúì â ïîëçà íà óñëîâíàòà êîëîðèñòè÷íà äúëáî÷èíà, ïîçâîëÿâàùà êàðòèíàòà äà ñòàíå ïîäîáíà íà ðåëåô. Åêñïðåñèâíîòî æèâîïèñâàíå å ñú÷åòàíî ñ õàðàêòåðåí ãðàôèçúì, ïðîèçõîäúò íà êîéòî ìîæå äà ñå ïðîñëåäè îùå îò êóáèñòèòå è ëþáèìèÿ íà õóäîæíèêà Ïèêàñî äî àìåðèêàíñêàòà æèâîïèñ íà “öâåòíèòå ïîëåòà”. Òàçè ñïåöèôè÷íà ñõåìàòèçàöèÿ ïîçâîëÿâà âñåêè ïúò çàâðúùàíå êúì ôèãóðàòèâíîñòòà áåç çàãóáà íà åìîöèîíàëíèòå ñìèñëè, ïîðîäåíè îò îïèòà íà àáñòðàêöèÿòà. Åêñïðåñèÿòà è ÷óâñòâåíîñòòà, ïîä÷èíåíè íà êîìïîçèöèîííàòà “èíòðèãà” íå ñà ñâèäåòåëè íà áåçîòãîâîðíîòî ñïîíòàííî ñåáåèçðàçÿâàíå, à ðåçóëòàò íà òâîð÷åñêà äèñöèïëèíà, èçñëåäâàùà è îãðàíè÷àâàùà áàçèñíèòå ôèçèîëîãè÷åñêè/òâîð÷åñêè èìïóëñè, ñ êîèòî çàïî÷âà ìèñëåíåòî. Ðàáîòèòå íà Äåìèðäæèÿí ñúóìÿâàò äà ïðèñúñòâàò â ìíîãî è ðàçëè÷íè àðõèòåêòóðíè ñèòóàöèè, êúäåòî íå ñàìî ïðèâëè÷àò âíèìàíèå, îêàçâàò ñå öåíòúð íå òîëêîâà íà ñàìèòå èíòåðèîðè, êîëêîòî ãåíåðàòîðè íà ïîçèòèâíè åìîöèîíàëíè ñúñòîÿíèÿ. Èìåííî òå îôîðìÿò “èíòåðèîðíèÿ” õàðàêòåð.  èçâåñòåí ñìèñúë íå ñòàâàò íèêîãà “åëåìåíò îò ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî”, à íàñòîÿâàò íà ñîáñòâåíàòà ñè ðàçïîçíàâàåìà èíäèâèäóàëíîñò.  èñòîðè÷åñêè ïëàí, äîêîëêîòî ìîæåì äà ñè ïîçâîëèì ïîäîáíè îöåíêè, æèâååéêè â ñúâðåìèåòî íà õóäîæíèêà, Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí èìà ìíîãî âàæíî ìÿñòî â áúëãàðñêîòî èçêóñòâî. Áåç íåãî ïåéçàæúò ìó áè áèë äîñòà ïî-ìîíîòîíåí è åäíîîáðàçåí â ñâîÿòà òèïè÷íîñò. ßðà Áóáíîâà 2007

Êîìïîçèöèÿ I, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ110 ñì.

Composition I, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 130õ110 cm

Êîìïîçèöèÿ II, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ110 ñì.

Composition II, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 130õ110 cm

Êîìïîçèöèÿ III, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ110 ñì.

Composition III, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 130õ110 cm

Edmond Demirdjian is a remarkable, yet obviously not fully acknowledged constant in Bulgarian art. He is the most ”unattached” and self-reliant artist I know and also the most independent individual our current cultural environment could produce. He is still better known as an artist and a swift and prolific painter of pictures, though in the past few years his professional work as a musician, more particularly as a drummer and improvising percussionist brought him almost as much publicity.

The fact that he is both an artist and a musician in the true sense of those words speaks for itself. The incredible energy of this individual penetrates every bit of his canvases and his music which were born to motivate and stimulate human emotionality and prompt us to open up to a meaningful perception of the world. There is total antagonism between his art and spiritual blindness and deafness, the latter being defeated by a passionate personality and faith in the power of art.

Edmond’s art of painting is characterized by colours and shapes that come together in well-structured compositions. It cannot be subjected to monotonous narrative interpretation. In a time when art exhibitions are full of too much text, his works insist on being viewed. However paradoxical it may sound, Demirdjian is a realist, which does not mean that he replicates existing images and forms. The closer you look at his paintings, the more interesting it is to solve the mystery of the visual archetypes the artist uses every day. Another in dispensable skill of artists practicing the art of painting, namely spatial construction, is complicated

by Edmond through his refusal to accept three-dimensional naturalism and willingness to resort to conditional coloristic depth, which lends the painting a relief-like look. His expressive panitings also bear graphic elements, whose origins may be traced back to Cubists and the artist’s favorite – Picasso, as well as to American Color Field painting. This specific schematization allows for constant return to figurativeness without losing the emotional meanings engendered by the experience of abstraction. The expression and sensuality subjected to the compositional ”intrigue” do not stem from irresponsible spontaneous self-expression, but are rather the result of artistic discipline, which studies and restricts the basic physiological/artistic impulses that give rise to thinking.

Demirdjian’s works get to be present in many diverse architectural settings, where they do not only attract attention and turn out to be the centre not of the interior settings themselves, but rather generate positive emotions. Those works shape the character of the interior. In a certain sense they never become an element of interior space, but rather insist on their own recognizable individuality.

From a historical perspective, as long as we can afford using such a perspective, as we are the artist’s contemporaries, Edmond Demirdjian has a very important place in Bulgarian art. Without him the landscape of Bulgarian art would have been much more monotonous and dull in its typicality.

Iara Boubnova 2007

Êîìïîçèöèÿ IV, 2005, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 130õ110 ñì.

Composition IV, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 130õ110 cm

Êîëàæè, 2006, êîëàæ, õàðòèÿ, 50õ25 ñì.

Collages, 2006, collage on paper, 50õ25 cm

×åðâåíî íåáå, 2000, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 81õ100 ñì.

Red Sky, 2000, acrylic on canvas, 81õ100 cm > Êàêâî ñè ãîâîðÿò ïëîäîâåòå I, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 55õ46 ñì.

What Fruit Talk About I, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 55õ46 cm

Îùå â ñàìîòî íà÷àëî Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí áå åäèí ñàìîòåí õóäîæíèê â áúëãàðñêîòî èçêóñòâî. Íåãîâîòî îòêðîâåíî îñìèñëÿíå íà åâðîïåéñêèÿ àâàíãàðä îò ÕÕ âåê áå îïðåäåëåíî òâúðäå ïðåäèçâèêàòåëíî. Íå ñàìî â ñòàðòà ñè, íî è äî äíåñ, òîé ïðîäúëæàâà â ñúùèÿ äóõ, êîéòî áå çàëîæåí îùå â íà÷àëîòî ñ èçáîðà ìó íà ëèíèÿòà, ñëåäâàíà îò Ñåçàí è ôîðìóëèðàíà â ïðîñëîâóòàòà ìó ôðàçà, ÷å âñè÷êî â ïðèðîäàòà ìîæå äà ñå ñâåäå äî êîíóñ, öèëèíäúð, ïðèçìà è ïàðàëåëåïèïåä. Çà Åäìîíä òàçè åñòåòè÷åñêà ïëàòôîðìà îçíà÷àâà, ÷å êàðòèíàòà íå òðÿáâà äà îòðàçÿâà ñþæåòà. Òàêà òîé òðúãíà ïî ïúòÿ, çà äà ïðåìèíå îò òàêà òîëåðèðàíîòî ñëåä Âòîðàòà Ñâåòîâíà âîéíà ïðåäìåòíî èçêóñòâî êúì íåïðåäìåòíîòî, äà çàãúðáè èçêóñòâîòî, îòðàçÿâàùî áóêâàëíî æèâîòà è ïðåìèíå êúì èçêóñòâî, íàòîâàðåíî ñ åêçèñòåíöèàëíèòå ïðîáëåìè íà íàéêúðâàâîòî îò ïðåìèíàëèòå ñòîëåòèÿ, äîâåëî è äî êîðåííà ïðîìÿíà â ñìèñúëà ìó. Òàêà, èçïîëçâàéêè îïèòà íà Ñåçàí, Ïèêàñî è Áðàê â ðàçëàãàíåòî íà ôèãóðèòå è óíèùîæàâàíå íà ñèìåòðèÿòà ïðè ïîñòðîÿâàíåòî íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà, Åäìîíä òðúãíà ïî ïúòÿ íà íåîôèãóðàòèâíîñòòà îò íàòóðàëèñòè÷åí è åêñïðåñèâåí òèï. Åñòåñòâåíàòà ìó äàðáà êúì ÿðêèÿ êîëîðèò è ðèñóíêà è ïðîôåñèîíàëíàòà ìó ãðàìîòíîñò ñïîìîãíàõà äà îòêðèå ñâîåòî àìïëîà â öâåòîâèòå ñú÷åòàíèÿ íà Ìàòèñ è Âëàìåíê. È òàêà, îùå îò íà÷àëîòî íà 70-òå è ïðåç 80-òå ãîäèíè, ñ ðåäêè èçêëþ÷åíèÿ (Àç êàðàì êîëåëî, Õóäîæíèêúò è íåãîâèòå ïåðñîíàæè, Íàòþðìîðò) Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí çàìåíÿ íàòóðàòà ñ åêñïðåñèâíàòà äåôîðìàöèÿ íà îáåìèòå, ñ ìåòàôîðè÷íîñò è çíàêîâîñò íà èçêàçà, áåç îáà÷å äà ñå ïîâëèÿå îò åñòåòèêàòà íà ãðîçíîòî, íà äåñòðóêöèÿòà, íà ïåñèìèçìà è íèõèëèçìà. Òàêà òîé ñå îêàçà ñðåä åäíè îò íàé-ÿðêèòå ïðèâúðæåíèöè è ïðåäñòàâèòåëè íà êàâàëåòíàòà ôóíêöèÿ íà èçêóñòâîòî. È òîâà ãî ïðåâúðíà â åäèí îò íàéòúðñåíèòå è êóïóâàíè õóäîæíèöè, ïðèâëåêàòåëíè îñâåí ñ âñè÷êî äðóãî, íî è ñ ïîä÷åðòàíîòî èãðîâî íà÷àëî â òÿõ. È òóê å äîñòàòú÷íî äà ïîñî÷à ñàìî íåãîâèòå Àðëåêèíè – ïî-ñêîðî çàáàâíè è ðàçâåñåëÿâàùè, îòêîëêîòî òúæíè â îñìèâàíåòî íà ÷îâåøêîòî íåñúâúðøåíñòâî. Âñúùíîñò òàçè èíòåðïðåòàöèÿ îòãîâàðÿ íà ñîáñòâåíèÿ ìó òåìïåðàìåíò êàòî ÷îâåê, õóäîæíèê è áëåñòÿù áàðàáàíèñò. Òîçè, êîéòî ñ óäàðèòå ïî áàðàáàíèòå, îæèâÿâà ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî îêîëî ñåáå ñè è ãî âúâëè÷à â çàáàâåí ôðåíåòè÷åí òàíö, âåñåë è ïðèâëåêàòåëåí â ñâîÿ äèñîíàíñ ñúñ ñâåòà èçâúí íàñ. Íà òîçè ñàìî íåãîâ ñâÿò îòãîâàðÿ åëàñòè÷íàòà è åëåãàíòíà ðèñóíêà, åôåêòíèòå êîëîðèòíè ñú÷åòàíèÿ, èçïúêâàùè íà ãëàäêàòà æèâîïèñíà ïîâúðõíîñò, ðÿäêî îáîãàòÿâàíà ñ åëåìåíòèòå íà êîëàæà (öèêúë Êîëàæè). Äèñîíàíñíèòå öâåòîâè ñú÷åòàíèÿ, íàïîìíÿùè íåî÷àêâàíèòå ñîëî èíòåðïðåòàöèè â äæàçîâîòî èçïúëíåíèå, ñúçäàâàò â íåãîâèòå êàðòèíè óñåùàíåòî çà ÿðêà öâåòîâà âàêõàíàëèÿ, óêðîòÿâàíà îò õóäîæíèêà ÷ðåç óâåðåíàòà ëèíèÿ â ÷åðíî, î÷åðòàâàùà ñèëóåòà èëè ñòðóêòóðàòà íà êîìïîçèöèÿòà. Òîçè ïîõâàò, óñúâúðøåíñòâàí ïðåç ãîäèíèòå, îïðèëè÷àâà ÷àñò îò íàé-äîáðèòå ìó ïëàòíà ñ èçòî÷íàòà êàëèãðàôèÿ, ïðè êîÿòî ôèëîñîôèÿòà íà èçïèñâàíåòî íà éåðîãëèôà å ðåçóëòàò îò ïîñòèãíàòèÿ ïðåäè òîâà äóõîâåí áàëàíñ è âúòðåøíà õàðìîíèÿ, èçðàçåíè â ïèêòîãðàìàòà – çíàê (Ïåðñîíàæè ñ éåðîãëèôè, 1977; Ñúíÿò íà ñàìóðàÿ, Ñàìî÷óâñòâèåòî íà âîèíà, Àçáóêàòà íà Åäìîíä – 2000 ã.).

< Ïðèâå÷åð, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

At Dusk, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 46õ38 cm

×åðâåí ëèìîí íàä ÷åðíî ëèñòî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 55õ46 ñì.

Red Lemon over a Black Leaf, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 55x46 cm > Èíòèìíî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 55õ46 ñì.

Intimacy, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 55x46 cm

> Êàíàòà, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

The Jug, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Ïðåäñòàâÿíåòî íà ôèãóðèòå è ïðåäìåòèòå îò ðàçëè÷íà ãëåäíà òî÷êà âúðõó äâóèçìåðíàòà ïëîñêîñò (Æåíà è ìîòîð, 1970; Íàòþòìîðò ñ êîëåëî, êèòàðà è ñòåíåí ÷àñîâíèê, 1952; Ìåõàíèçèðàíèÿò ÷îâåê, 1982) å âúïðîñ íà âúòðåøíà óáåäåíîñò. Öåëòà íà õóäîæíèêà å ÷ðåç ñðåäñòâàòà íà ÷èñòàòà æèâîïèñ è ïî-ðÿäêî íà êîëàæà äà ïðåâúðíå êàðòèíàòà â ñâîÿ ñîáñòâåíà ðåàëíîñò, êîíêóðèðàùà äåéñòâèòåëíàòà. È òóê îòíîâî, íàïðàâåíîòî âå÷å îò Ìàëåâè÷ è Áàêñò è ïîçíàòî íà Åäìîíä, ìó ïîìàãà äà ñòèãíå äî íÿêîè êîíöåïòóàëíè âúçãëåäè íà ñóïðåìàòèñòèòå. Ñóïðåìàò íàä êàêâî? Èëè “ïðåâúçõîäñòâî” íàä êàêâî? “Íàä ñâåòà íà èçêóñòâîòî, êîéòî ñå èçäèãà íàä òîâà, êîåòî å çåìíî, íàä çâåçäèòå è ãîñïîäñòâà òàì ãîðäî, òàéíñòâåíî è ñàìîòíî, ñÿêàø íà ïîêðèò ñúñ ñíÿã âðúõ” (Ë. Áàêñò). È çà äà íå ñå ñìåòíå, ÷å ïðåêàëÿâàì ñúñ ñðàâíåíèÿòà ùå ïîñî÷à ñàìî îùå åäèí ïðèìåð, çàùîòî íå å âúçìîæíî äà õàðåñâàø Ìàëåâè÷ è äà íå ïîñëåäâàø èçâîäà ìó: “Êâàäðàòúò íà ñóïðåìàòèñòèòå è ôîðìèòå, ïîðîäåíè îò òîçè êâàäðàò, ìîãàò äà áúäàò ñðàâíåíè ñ ÷åðòè÷êèòå – ïðèìèòèâíèòå çíàöè íà ïúðâîáèòíèÿ ÷îâåê, êîèòî íå ñà îðíàìåíò, à óñåùàíå çà ðèòúì” (Ê. Ìàëåâè÷). Òàêà çà Åäìîíä âñè÷êî å ðèòúì. È ðåäóâàíåòî íà öâåòíèòå ïåòíà â êàðòèíèòå, è óäàðèòå ïî áàðàáàíèòå, è òóïòåíåòî íà ñúðöåòî. Çàãóáèø ëè ðèòúìà – çàãóáâàø âñè÷êî. Òàêà ñå ðàæäàò ïúëíèòå ñ æèâîò è ïëåíèòåëíà ôàíòàñòè÷íà ïàðàäîêñàëíîñò ïëàòíà îò òèïà íà Ôàíòàñòè÷åí ïåéçàæ (2006). Ïëàòíà, êîèòî íîñÿò íåùî îò åñòåòèêàòà íà Áåðãñîí è ïñèõîàíàëèçàòà íà Ôðîéä, à èìåííî – èçðàçÿâàíå íà ìèñëèòå, íàñòðîåíèÿòà, öâåòîâåòå, áåç êîíòðîë íà ðàçóìà è òîâà îïðåäåëåíî íàðóøàâàíå â íåãîâèòå êàðòèíè íà ìîìåíòè íà ïðè÷èííîñëåäñòâåíèòå âðúçêè, ñúçäàâà óñåùàíåòî çà îñîáåíà ïîåòè÷íîñò, ïîäîáíà íà òàçè íà Äæîðäæî äå Êèðèêî. Òîâà å ïîñòèãíàòî â ïëàòíàòà ìó, â êîèòî ïðåäìåòèòå, ôèãóðèòå è ïðîñòðàíñòâîòî ñà ïðåòúðïåëè íåâåðîÿòíè ìåòàìîðôîçè. Òàêà Åäìîíä ñúçäàâà ñâîÿòà íîâà äåéñòâèòåëíîñò, ñâîåòî öâåòíî âèçèîíåðñòâî, áåç çàãóáà íà ñåòèâíèÿ õåäîíèçúì è ïîåòè÷íîñòòà. Êàðòèíèòå ìó, êàêòî è ñàìèÿò àâòîð, íîñÿò áåëåãà íà àâòîðñêèÿ çíàê è ïîâåäåíèå, íà ÷èñòî íåãîâèòå èêîíîãðàôñêè ôîðìóëè è ñîáñòâåí ñòèë, ïî êîéòî òîé áèâà ðàçïîçíàâàí. Òåçè ôîðìóëè îáà÷å ñà íàñèòåíè ñ àñîöèàòèâíà ìåòàôîðè÷íîñò, êîÿòî äàâà âúçìîæíîñò íà çðèòåëÿ äà äàäå ïðîñòîð íà ñîáñòâåíàòà ñè èíòåðïðåòàöèÿ è äà íàïðàâè ñâîÿòà ðàçõîäêà âúâ “ôàíòàñòè÷íèÿ ðåàëèçúì” íà Åäìîíä (öèêëèòå: Ìîðñêè ïåéçàæè (2006); Ðèáè (2003-2006); Ìå÷òàíèå; âåëèêîëåïíèòå ìó ðèñóíêè – ïîäãîòîâêà çà ïëàòíàòà). Ñåãà, â çðåëèÿ ñè ïåðèîä, Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí ïðîäúëæàâà äà å âåðåí íà ïîñòìîäåðíîòî îñìèñëÿíå ñ åëåìåíòè íà ñþððåàëèçúì è ìåòàôèçè÷íîñò, íî ïðå÷óïåíè ïðåç íåãîâîòî öâåòíî âèçèîíåðñòâî, ïîåòèêà è ôàíòàñòè÷íà ïàðàäîêñàëíîñò, ïðèáëèæàâàùà æèâîïèñíèÿ ðèòúì ñ òîçè íà áàðàáàíèòå è ôðåíåòè÷íèÿ íè æèâîò. Àêñèíèÿ Äæóðîâà 1 àïðèë 2007 ã. Öâåòíèöà

< Íàòþðìîðò ñ ïëîäîâå, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 55õ46 ñì.

Still Life with Fruit, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 55õ46 cm

Íîùíî ñèÿíèå, 2007 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

Night Radiance, 2007 acrylic on canvas, 46õ38 cm Ïóðïóðåí çàëåç, 2007 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

Purple Sunset, 2007 acrylic on canvas, 46õ38 cm

Ìîÿò ëþáèì íàòþðìîðò, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 61õ50 ñì.

My Favorite Still-life, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 61x50 cm > Ðàäîñòåí ïåðñîíàæ íà ðîçîâ ôîí, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 81õ65 ñì.

Joyful Personage on Rose Background, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 81x65 cm

Îãíåíàòà ïëàíèíà, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 60õ73 ñì.

The Blazing Mountain, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 60õ73 cm

Âúòðåøíî ïðîñòðàíñòâî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 60õ73 ñì.

Inner Space, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 60õ73 cm

Edmond Demirdjian was a lonesome artist in Bulgarian art. His outspoken rendering of the European avant-garde of the twentieth century has been labeled as too provocative. Not only from the very start of his career but even today he keeps going along the same track he embarked on from the very beginning when he chose to follow Cezanne’s style formulated in his famous quote that everything in nature can be reduced to a cone, a cylinder, a prism and a parallelepiped.

Àôðèêàíñêè ïåéçàæ, 2006 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 65õ81 ñì.

African Landscape, 2006 acrylic on canvas, 65õ81 cm

For Edmond this aesthetic platform means that a painting must not reflect the subject matter. This is how he stepped on the road in order to move from the material art exclusively tolerated after WWII to the immaterial one and to turn his back on the art that literally copied life and embrace the art loaded with the existential problems of the bloodiest century ever in history which led to a radical change in its meaning. Thus using the experience of Cezanne, Picasso and Braque in the de-fragmentation of figures and the destruction of symmetry in building up the composition.

Edmond embarked on the road of non-figurativeness of a naturalistic and expressive type. His natural gift for the bright colour and drawing as well as his professional literacy helped him discover his vocation in the colour combinations of Matis and Vlaminck. This is how from the very beginning of the early 70ies and 80ies, with some rare exceptions (Riding a Bike, The Artist and his Personages, Still-Life), Edmond Demirdjian replaced nature with the expressive deformation of volumes and some metaphoric and sign means of expression without being influenced by the aesthetics of the ugliness, destruction, pessimism and nihilism.

Thus he turned out to be one of the most outstanding adherents and representatives of easel painting as function in art. This is what turned him into one of the most popular and purchased artists attractive among other things with his playful approach. It would be enough if I mention his Harelquins – funny and cheerful rather than sad in satirizing human deficiencies. This interpretation actually corresponds to his own temper as a person, artist and brilliant drummer.

The one whose drum beats bring life to the surroundings and draw everything into an amusing frantic dance, lively and attractive with its disharmony with the outer world. It is this exclusive world of his only that can account for the flexible and elegant drawing, the striking colour combinations standing out on the smooth painting surface rarely enriched with elements of the collage (the Collage sequence).

The disharmonious colour combinations reminding of the unexpected solo jazz interpretations create the feeling of a dazzling colour bacchanalia tamed by the artist and his masterful black line contouring the silhouette or structure of the composition. This technique perfected throughout the years brings part of his best canvasses close to the Eastern calligraphy where the philosophy of drawing the hieroglyph is a result of an attained spiritual balance and inner harmony expressed in a sign pictogram (Personages with

Hieroglyphs, 1977; The Dream of the Samurai, A Warrior’s Self-confidence, Edmond’s Alphabet – 2000).

Representing the figures and objects from a different point of view on the two-dimensional plane (A Woman and a Motorbike, 1970; Stilllife with Bicycle, Guitar and Clock, 1952; The Robot Man, 1982) is a matter of an inner conviction. By means of the pure painting techniques and more rarely of the collage the artist aims at transforming the painting into his own world competing with reality. Here again what was already done by Malevich and Bakst and known to Edmond helps him arrive at some conceptual views of the supremacists. Supremacy over what? Or “superiority” over what? “Over the world of art which soars high above what is earthly and reaches beyond the stars to reign there in pride, secrecy and loneliness as if on of a snowcapped peak” (L.Bakst). Not eager to consider me too circumstantial in my comparisons I’ll point out just one more example bearing in mind it is impossible to be fond of Malevich and not follow his conclusion: “The square of the supremacists and the forms resulting from this square can be compared to the tiny notches – the primitive sign of the primitive man which are not an ornament but a feel for rhythm” (K. Malevich).

This is how for Edmond everything turns out to be rhythm. The alteration of colours in his paintings, the drum beats and the beats of the heart. Losing the rhythm means losing everything. Thus those canvasses full of life and fascinating fantastic controversy like Fantasy Landscape (2006) come into being. Canvasses that remind of Bergson’s aesthetics and Freud’s psychoanalysis with the specific expression of thoughts, dispositions, colours subject to no mind control. This occasional intentional violation of the cause-effect relations in his paintings creates the sensation of a poetic artistry akin to the one of Giorgio de Chirico. This can be found in those canvasses of his where the objects, figures and space have undergone extraordinary metamorphoses. This is how Edmond creates his own new reality, his colour vision without losing the sensuous hedonism and the poetry.

His paintings like their author carry the sign of the trade mark and the unique behaviour, of his exclusively personal iconographic formulae and style that make him easily recognizable. Those formulae, however, are full of associative metaphorical meaning which allows the viewers to give scope to their own interpretation and to take a unique walk in Edmond’s surreal “fantastic realism” (the sequences Marine Landsacapes (2006); Fish (2003-2006) and his marvelous preparatory sketches).

Now that he is in his mature period Edmond keeps being loyal to the post modern rationalization with surrealistic and metaphysical elements interpreted through his colour vision, poetic artistry and fantasized paradoxical reality which bring the picturesque rhythm close to the one of the drums and our frantic life.

Axinia Dzurova 1 April 2007

Àç âèæäàì âñè÷êî, 2007 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

I Can See Everything, 2007 acrylic on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Ðîçîâî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Pink, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Èíòåðèîð â ñèíüî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Interior in Blue, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 80õ80 cm

Ñåëñêè ïåéçàæ, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 46õ38 ñì.

Village Landscape, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 46õ38 cm

Êàêâî ñè ãîâîðÿò ïëîäîâåòå II, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 55õ46 ñì.

What Fruit Talk About II, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 55õ46 cm

Ïàäíàëà çâåçäà, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

Fallen Star, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Ìîÿò ëþáèì ïåéçàæ, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

My Favourite Landscape, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Àç âèæäàì âñè÷êî â ñèíüî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

I See Everything in Blue, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 80õ80 cm

< Ðàêîâèíà, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

Sea Shell, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Ïåéçàæ ñëåä äúæä, 2007 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 50õ65 ñì.

Landscape after Rain, 2007 acrylic on canvas, 50õ65 cm Êîìïîçèöèÿ ñ äúðâåòà, 2007 àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 80õ80 ñì.

Composition with Trees, 2007 acrylic on canvas, 80õ80 cm

×åðâåíîòî äúðâî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 50õ65 ñì.

The Red Tree, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 50õ65 cm

Êðàé ìîðåòî, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 60õ73 ñì.

By the Sea, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 60õ73 cm

Ðèáà è ìîðñêà çâåçäà, 2007, àêðèë, ïëàòíî, 73õ60 ñì.

A Fish and a Starfish, 2007, acrylic on canvas, 73õ60 cm

Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí ñå ðàæäà íà 2 àïðèë 1951 ã. â Ñîôèÿ â ñåìåéñòâîòî íà Âàðòóõè è Àãîï Äåìèðäæèÿí.

Edmond Demirdjian was born on 2nd April, 1951 in the family of Vartouhi and Agop Demirdjian.

Îò 1967 äî 1971 ã. ó÷è â Õóäîæåñòâåíàòà ãèìíàçèÿ â Ñîôèÿ.

Between 1967 and 1971 he studied at the High School of Fine Arts in Sofia.

1973-1978 ñëåäâà â Õóäîæåñòâåíàòà àêàäåìèÿ â Ñîôèÿ, ñïåöèàëíîñò Ñòåíîïèñ.

Between 1973 and 1978 he studied Mural Painting at the National Academy of Arts, Sofia.

Íàðåä ñúñ çàíèìàíèÿòà ñè ïî èçîáðàçèòåëíî èçêóñòâî, òîé ñâèðè â ðàçëè÷íè ðîê ãðóïè êàòî áàðàáàíèñò.

Alongside his pursuits in fine arts he used to play in a variety of rock bands as a drummer.

Íà 12 îêòîìâðè 1978 ñå ðàæäà ñèíúò ìó Àíðè.

On 12th October, 1978 his son Anri was born.

Ïðåç äåêåìâðè 1979 èçêóñòâîâåäúò Ìàêñèìèëèàí Êèðîâ îòêðèâà ïúðâàòà ìó ñàìîñòîÿòåëíà èçëîæáà â ãàëåðèÿòà íà óë. “Ðàêîâñêè” 108 â Ñîôèÿ.

In December 1979 the art critic Maximilian Kirov opened his first solo exhibition in the gallery at 108 Rakovski Str. in Sofia.

Àòàíàñ Íåéêîâ îòêðèâà ãîëÿìà èçëîæáà íà õóäîæíèêà â ïðåäñòàâèòåëíàòà ãàëåðèÿ íà Ñúþçà íà áúëãàðñêèòå õóäîæíèöè íà óë. “Ðàêîâñêè” 125 â Ñîôèÿ.

Atanas Neikov opened a vast exhibition of the artist in the gallery of the Union of Bulgarian Artists at 125 Rakovski Str. in Sofia.

Êðàÿò íà 80-òå è íà÷àëîòî íà 90-òå ãîäèíè íà 20-òè âåê ñà ïåðèîä íà ñåðèîçíà ðàáîòà êàêòî â àòåëèåòî, òàêà è íà ñöåíàòà – ïúðôîðìàíñ ñ èçâåñòíàòà áúëãàðñêà äæàçîâà ïåâèöà Éúëäúç Èáðàõèìîâà.

The late 80ies and early 90ies of the 20th century marked a period of profound work both in the studio and on the stage – a joint performance with Bulgarian jazz singer Yildiz Ibrahimova.

 íà÷àëîòî íà 90-òå Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí èçëèçà íà ìåæäóíàðîäíàòà õóäîæåñòâåíà ñöåíà. Åëåíà Ïîïòîäîðîâà îòêðèâà ñàìîñòîÿòåëíàòà ìó èçëîæáà â ãàëåðèÿ Il Saggiatore â Ðèì, ñåïòåìâðè 1990.

In the early 90ies Edmond Demirdjian went international. Elena Poptodorova opened his solo exhibition at the Il Saggiatore Gallery in Rome, September 1990.

Ñàìîñòîÿòåëíà èçëîæáà â Galerie CDB, Landeskulturzentrum, Ëèíö, Àâñòðèÿ, ÿíóàðè-ôåâðóàðè 1991.

Solo exhibition in Galerie CDB, Landeskulturzentrum, Linz, Austria, January, February 1991.

Ñàìîñòîÿòåëíà èçëîæáà â ãàëåðèÿ Øðüîäåð, Àóãñáóðã, Ãåðìàíèÿ, ìàé 1992.

Solo exhibition in Schroeder Gallery, Augsburg, Germany, May 1992.

Ñàìîñòîÿòåëíà èçëîæáà â Hof Galerie Ursula Schlotterbeck, Õîðá, Ãåðìàíèÿ, îêòîìâðè-íîåìâðè 1993.

Solo exhibition at Hof Galerie Ursula Schlotterbeck, Horb, Germany, October-November, 1993.

Äâå ñàìîñòîÿòåëíè èçëîæáè â ãàëåðèÿ Çèíçåí, Áðþêñåë – ïðåç 1993 è ïðåç 1996. Â òîçè ïåðèîä å ïîêàíåí ñ èçëîæáè è âúâ Âèåíà, Áåðëèí, Ëþêñåìáóðã, Êàíçàñ ñèòè, Ñòîêõîëì, Äîðíáèðí.

Two solo exhibitions at Zinzen Gallery, Brussels – in 1993 and in 1996. At the same period he was invited to exhibit his works in Vienna, Berlin, Luxemburg, Kansas City, Stockholm, Dornbirn Ñëåä äåñåò ñàìîñòîÿòåëíè èçëîæáè â ÷óæáèíà – ïúðâà ãîëÿìà èçÿâà â Ñîôèÿ â ãàëåðèÿ Êàòè ïðåç íîåìâðè 1993.

After ten solo exhibitions abroad came his first big event in Sofia at Kati Gallery in November 1993.

 ïåðèîäà 1994-1996 æèâåå è ðàáîòè â ÑÀÙ. Ïðåç 1995 å óäîñòîåí ñúñ ñòèïåíäèÿ îò Ôîíäàöèÿ “Ïîëúê-Êðàñíúð”, Íþ Éîðê. Ñàìîñòîÿòåëíà èçëîæáà â The Lobby Gallery, Ìàíõàòúí, Íþ Éîðê, íîåìâðèäåêåìâðè 1995. Çàåäíî ñúñ Ñòåôàí Ãðóåâ è ïðèíöåñà Àëåêñàíäðà (äúùåðÿòà íà êíÿãèíÿ Ìàðèÿ Ëóèçà).

Between 1994-1996 he lived and worked in the USA. In 1995 he was granted a scholarship by the Pollack-Krasner Foundation, New York. Solo exhibition at The Lobby Gallery, Manhattan, New York, NovemberDecember, 1995. Together with Stephan Gruev and Princess Alexandra (duchess Maria Louisa’s daughter).

Ïðåä ìóçåÿ Ìåòðîïîëèòúí â Íþ Éîðê. Ñúñ ñâîÿ êàðòèíà â Ëîñ Àíæåëèñ.

In front of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

With a painting of his in Los Angeles.

Åäìîíä îñòàâÿ ñâîÿ ïîäïèñ ïðåä ãàëåðèÿ Ìàêòà â Ñîôèÿ ïðè îòêðèâàíåòî íà ñàìîñòîÿòåëíàòà ìó èçëîæáà: “Îáè÷àì è ìðàçÿ Íþ Éîðê”, àïðèë 1996.

Edmond puts his signature in front of Makta Gallery in Sofia at the inauguration of his solo exhibition I Love and Hate New York, April 2006.

Ïðåç ëÿòîòî íà 1996 äâà ìåñåöà ïðåáèâàâà âúâ Ôðàíöèÿ – ïîñåùåíèå â çàìúêà Ãðèìàëäè â Àíòèá, êúäåòî å ðèñóâàë Ïèêàñî, è â àòåëèåòî íà Ñåçàí â Åêñ aí Ïðîâàíñ.

In the summer of 1996 he spent two months in France – he visited the Grimaldi Castle in Antibes where Picasso used to paint and Cezanne’s studio in Aix-en-Provence.

Àòåëèåòî íà õóäîæíèêà â Ñîôèÿ, êâ. Ñâ. Òðîèöà.

The artist’s studio in Sofia, St. Troitsa residential area.

Ñëåä 1992 ã. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí çàïî÷âà îòíîâî ñåðèîçíî äà ñå çàíèìàâà ñ ìóçèêà è äà èçíàñÿ ñîëîâè êîíöåðòè çà óäàðíè èíñòðóìåíòè. Âåðñèè íà íåãîâèÿ êîìïëåêò áàðàáàíè îò 2000 è 2007 ã.

After 1992 Edmond Demirdjian resumed his serious music pursuits and gives solo concerts for percussion instruments.

Versions of his set of drums from 2000 and 2007.

Ñïåöèàëíî ó÷àñòèå íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí íà ìîäíîòî ðåâþïúðôîðìàíñ íà Ìàðèåëà Ãåìèøåâà ”Fashion Fire”, äâîðà íà Ïîæàðíàòà â Ñîôèÿ, 2003.

Special participation of Edmond Demirdjian in Mariela Gemisheva’s Fashion Fire fashion show, the Fire Station yard, 2003. Èìïðîâèçèðàí ïúðôîðìàíñ çà êàøîí è 4 ïàëêè çàåäíî ñ ãîëåìèÿ áúëãàðñêè ìóçèêàíò Ìèë÷î Ëåâèåâ ïî âðåìå íà îòêðèâàíåòî íà ñàìîñòîÿòåëíàòà èçëîæáà íà Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí â ÀÒÀ öåíòúð çà ñúâðåìåííî èçêóñòâî, Ñîôèÿ, 2005. Ðàçõîäêà èç óëèöèòå íà ñòàðèÿ ãðàä â Ïëîâäèâ.

Improvised performance for a cardboard box and 4 drumsticks jointly with the great Bulgarian musician Milcho Leviev during the opening of Edmond Demirdjian’s solo exhibition at ATA Centre for contemporary art, Sofia 2005.

A walk along the streets in the old town of Plovdiv. Çàåäíî ñ ïðèÿòåëÿ è ó÷èòåëÿ ñâåòîâíîèçâåñòíèÿ äæàçîâ ìóçèêàíò Ïèòúð Åðñêèí â ñàìîñòîÿòåëíàòà èçëîæáà íà õóäîæíèêà â õîòåë Õèëòúí, Ñîôèÿ, àïðèë 2006.

Together with his friend and teacher, the world famous jazz musician Peter Erskine in the artist’s solo exhibition at the Hilton Hotel, Sofia, April 2006. Êîðèöàòà íà äèñêà Standards íà Ïèòúð Úðñêèí, Àëúí Ïàñêóà è Äåéâ Êàðïåíòúð, 2007, îôîðìåíà îò Åäìîíä.

The cover of Standards by Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua and Dave Carpenter, 2007, created by Edmond.

Ñâåòîâíàòà ëåãåíäà íà àìåðèêàíñêèÿ ôóòáîë Ëîðúíñ Òåéëúð – êîëåêöèîíåð íà êàðòèíèòå íà Åäìîíä.

The world legend of American football Lawrence Taylor – collector of Edmond’s paintings.

Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí ïîäíàñÿ ñâîÿ êàðòèíà íà àðìåíñêèÿ êàòîëèêîñ Êàðåêèí I, ïàòðèàðõ íà àðìåíñêàòà ïðàâîñëàâíà öúðêâà ïðè ïîñåùåíèåòî ìó â Ñîôèÿ ïðåç 2002.

Edmond Demirdjian presents a painting of his to the Armenian Catholicos Karekin, patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox church during his visit in Sofia in 2002.

Ïúðâî ïîñåùåíèå â Åðåâàí êàòî ÷ëåí íà îôèöèàëíàòà äåëåãàöèÿ, íà÷åëî ñ ïðåçèäåíòà íà ÐÁúëãàðèÿ Ãåîðãè Ïúðâàíîâ, è ïîñðåùàíå îò Ìèíèñòúðà íà êóëòóðàòà íà Àðìåíèÿ, îêòîìâðè 2004.

First visit to Erevan as member of the official delegation headed by the President of Bulgaria Georgi Purvanov and reception by the Culture Minister of Aremenia, October 2004. Ïðîô. Àêñèíèÿ Äæóðîâà îòêðèâà èçëîæáàòà “Íåïîêàçâàíî îò Åäìîíä”, ãàëåðèÿòà íà óë. “Øèïêà” 6 â Ñîôèÿ, àïðèë 2006.

Prof. Aksenia Djourova opened the Non-exhibited by Edmond exhibition at the 6 Shipka Str. Gallery, April 2006.

Ïðåç 2006 ã. Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí å óäîñòîåí ñ íàãðàäàòà íà ãðàä Ñîôèÿ çà èçêëþ÷èòåëíè çàñëóãè â îáëàñòòà íà êóëòóðàòà è èçêóñòâîòî.

In 2006 Edmond Demirdjian was given the Sofia City Award for outstanding merits in the sphere of culture and art.

Èçëîæáà “Òîâà, êîåòî èìà çíà÷åíèå”, 3-14 ìàé 2007, ãàëåðèÿ Ðàêóðñè, Ñîôèÿ ”What Matters” exhibition, 3-14 May, 2007, Rakyrsi Gallery, Sofia.

Çà àâòîðèòå: Ïðîô. ä-ð Àêñèíèÿ Äæóðîâà, Öåíòúð çà ñëàâÿíî-âèçàíòèéñêè ïðîó÷âàíèÿ “Èâàí Äóé÷åâ” Àíäðþ Ìàêäîíúë, ïèñàòåë è êðèòèê, Íþ Éîðê Ïðîô. Àòàíàñ Íåéêîâ, õóäîæíèê Äîö. Ãåîðãè Ëîçàíîâ, ÑÓ „Êëèìåíò Îõðèäñêè” Ä-ð Äàíèåëà ×óëîâà, óðåäíèê, ÑÃÕà Äåñèñëàâà Äèìîâà, êðèòèê è êóðàòîð Äèàíà Ïîïîâà, êðèòèê Ìàêñèìèëèÿí Êèðîâ, èçêóñòâîâåä Ä-ð Ìàðèÿ Âàñèëåâà, êóðàòîð, ãëàâåí óðåäíèê ÑÃÕà Ïðîô. ä-ð ×àâäàð Ïîïîâ, èçêóñòâîâåä, ÑÓ „Êëèìåíò Îõðèäñêè” ßðà Áóáíîâà, êóðàòîð, Èíñòèòóò çà ñúâðåìåííî èçêóñòâî-Ñîôèÿ About the authors: Prof. Dr. Axinia Dzurova, Center for Slavic and Byzantine Studies ”Ivan Duitchev” Andrew Macdonal, writer and art critic, New York Prof. Atanas Neykov, artist Prof. Dr. Chavdar Popov, art historian, Sofia University ”Kliment Ohridski” Dessislava Dimova, art critic and curator Ass. Prof. Georgi Lozanov, Sofia University ”Kliment Ohridski” Dr. Daniela Chulova, curator, Sofia Art Gallery Diana Popova, art critic Iara Boubnova, curator, Institute of Contemporary Art-Sofia Dr. Maria Vassileva, chief curator, Sofia Art Gallery Maximilian Kirov, art critic

 êàòàëîãà ñà âêëþ÷åíè êàðòèíè îò êîëåêöèèòå íà: Àíàòîëèé Ïàçèéñêè, Àíãåë Ñèìåîíîâ, ä-ð Àíòîí Íåíîâ, Áîÿí Ðàäåâ, ä-ð Áîðèñëàâ Ñòîÿíîâ, Âåñåëà è Áîéêî Ðàäîåâè, Äèìèòúð Ïàìïóëîâ, Åâãåíè Ñèìåîíîâ, Ãåîðãè Òîëåâ, Ëþáîìèð Âàñèëåâ, Ìåòèí Àðèô, Ìëàäåí Ìóòàô÷èéñêè, Ðóìåí Ñòàí÷åâ, Ñâåòîñëàâ Àíàñòàñîâ, Ñíåæà Ðàäåíîâñêà, Ñîíÿ è Ãàðî Êàðàêàøèÿí, Òîäîð Òîäîðîâ, Òîìà Íèêîëîâ, Òîøî Òîøåâ, Ñîôèéñêà Ãðàäñêà Õóäîæåñòâåíà Ãàëåðèÿ.

The catalogue includes paintings from the collections of: Anatolii Paziiski, Angel Simeonov, Dr. Anton Nenov, Boyan Radev, Dr. Borislav Stoyanov, Vessela and Boiko Radoevi, Dimitar Pampulov, Evgeni Simeonov, Georgi Tolev, Lyubomir Vassilev, Metin Arif, Mladen Mutafchiiski, Roumen Stanchev, Sneja Radenovska, Svetoslav Atanassov, Sonya and Garro Karakashian, Todor Todorov, Toma Nikolov, Tosho Toshev, Sofia Art Gallery.

Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí Ñúñòàâèòåë è ðåäàêòîð: Ìàðèÿ Âàñèëåâà Àâòîðè: Àêñèíèÿ Äæóðîâà, Àíäðþ Ìàêäîíúë, Àòàíàñ Íåéêîâ, Ãåîðãè Ëîçàíîâ, Äàíèåëà ×óëîâà, Äåñèñëàâà Äèìîâà, Äèàíà Ïîïîâà, Åäìîíä Äåìèðäæèÿí, Ìàêñèìèëèÿí Êèðîâ, Ìàðèÿ Âàñèëåâà, ×àâäàð Ïîïîâ, ßðà Áóáíîâà Ôîòîãðàôèè: Äåíè Êðúñòåâ Ãðàôè÷åí äèçàéí: Íàäåæäà Îëåã Ëÿõîâà Ïðåâîä: AGILA Translations Ïðåäïå÷àòíà ïîäãîòîâêà: ÈÄÀ Ïå÷àò: Ñîôèÿ 2007 © Õóäîæíèêà è àâòîðèòå ISBN Edmond Demirdjian Compiler and editor: Maria Vassileva Authors: Aksinia Djyrova, Andrew Macdonal, Atanas Neikov, Georgi Lozanov, Daniela Chylova, Dessislava Dimova, Diana Popova, Edmond Demirdjian, Maximilian Kirov, Maria Vassileva, Chavdar Popov, Iara Boubnova Photos: Deni Krastev Graphic Design: Nadezhda Oleg Lyahova Translations: AGILA Translations Pre-print: IDA Print: Sofia 2007 © The artist and the authors