National Gallery of Armenia

 Gyurjian taught in newly opened specialized educational institutions for about 35 years, including Yerevan Geghard Technical School (1923-1935), Yerevan Polytechnic Institute (1929-1935) and Yerevan Art and Theatre Institute (1945-1958); he wrote monographs dedicated to the 20^th-century artists as well as published numerous articles in periodicals. On his initiative in 1939 the “Travelling Studio of Artists” was established. It works till present time with some intermissions. Thanks to it, artists of various predilections were given an opportunity to visit the regions of the republic, to associate with each other, to paint in the plain air and to organize exhibitions.

For the formation of Gyurjian’s artistic language significant were both the tradition of the 20^th-century Russian realistic painting and principles of plain air painting developed in the European art. The artist had a great interest towards impressionism. It was more vividly expressed in the works done from 1920 to the 1950’s. Gabriel Gyurjian mainly worked in the genre of landscape and contributed to the plain air painting development in Armenian art. In the works created from 1960 to the 1970’s the artist strove for the picturing of the homeland’s monumental and generalized image which becomes complete through the interesting observation point of wide and enveloping space, through detailed elaboration of separate plans as well as pure and rich colouring.

Gyurjian created pictures of his birthplace Ardvin and those of fine corners of Armenia: Lake Sevan and the Sevan Island with waterside cliffs and churches; Bjni, Aparan, Goris, Yeghegnadzor, Lori, Gyumri, old and new Yerevan as well as landscapes with historical-cultural monuments endowed with the feeling of love, admiration and inner pride towards homeland. The artist created series of works and every time he could find an interesting compositional structure for the depiction of the same place, as well as relevant colouring for any season, daytime and mood. Valuable are also the thematic canvases of realistic interpretation dedicated to the rural life and labour, to the industrial construction of homeland. Gyurjian is among the founders of industrial landscape genre in Armenian fine art.

Gabriel Gyurjian participated in numerous republican and union group exhibitions of Armenian artists as well as in those organized abroad. Yet, he did not have any personal exhibition in his lifetime. The exhibition opened at the National Gallery of Armenia is dedicated to the artist’s 125^th birth anniversary. The exhibition features the selected works from the National Gallery, from Yerevan History Museum as well as from the family and private collections. The majority of them are displayed for the first time. Together with his famous works they give a comprehensive idea about Gabriel Gyurjian’s the rich legacy that is among the best achievements of a whole century and has a special place in the treasury of Armenian fine art.