gagoart at Bluecanvas: The Artist Network

About me

Gago Oganesyan

Gago Oganesyan was born into an artistically-inclined family, in Yerevan, Armenia. Gago started his own journey of creative self-discovery at a very young age, and drawing and painting quickly became his childhood past time.

Gago’s formal art education came from the H. Kojoyan Art School and Terlemezian Art College in Yerevan, Armenia. He received his Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the Art Academy of Yerevan, Armenia in 1985.

Traveling extensively throughout Europe with its diverse cultures and rich artistic heritage influenced Gago’s creative vision. In 1991 he moved to the US with his wife and muse, artist/sculptor Yelena Geodakyan, and their daughter, Sona, to further their artistic endeavors.

Gago’s creations range from visions of apocalyptic horror presented in vivid, intricate detail…to simple, quiet studies in poignant graceful lines. The broad range of his work, from his choice of mediums to the meaning which imbues each piece, reflects the artist’s own philosophy: “There is not one particular message that I am trying to convey, but the entire spectrum of human emotions, passions, fears, desires, dreams and conflicts.”

His talent for bringing forth the phantasmagoric visions of his mind’s eye to life is most readily apparent in such paintings as Babylon, The Unyielding Gap, Island, The Knot, Aftermath. Calling the style he founded Transmorphic Subjectivism, the artist states that “…as our thoughts morph into one another, the same way seemingly unrelated objects transform into each other seamlessly, creating a new reality of subjective perception…”
His most recent series, Exotica, is executed in a completely new, distinctive and original style created by the artist. Gago’s images- supple, exquisite, full of plasticity and the grace of exotic dance- are contoured with thin, softly flowing lines combined with the flat captured geometry reminiscent of ancient cultures.
His sketches would be equally at home in the notebooks of Leonardo, Escher, or Giger.

Today Gago lives with his family in Los Angeles. He is the creator and producer of the publication, Not Rated, which is dedicated to the promotion of the Arts.
“I wish to be known as an artist true to his own vision.” Indeed, his legacy will be his integrity to his craft and his boundless, soaring imagination.

Gago

Artist statement

In the same way that our thoughts effortlessly morph into one another, in my paintings and drawings, seemingly unrelated objects seamlessly transform into each other, creating a new reality of subjective perception.
This is why I called the style I work in Transmorphic Subjectivism. This concept allows me to bring forth the phantasmagoric visions of my mind’s eye to life, while creating an illusion of fluidity, continuous movement of shapes and objects. This perpetual metamorphosis brings to life the important and ever-present character in my paintings, Time.
By creating this subjectively altered reality, there is not one particular message that I am trying to convey, but the entire spectrum of human emotions, passions, fears, desires, dreams and conflicts, as perceived by an individual mind.

I use the same Subjectivist approach combined with lighthearted humor in the Festivals series. I don’t recreate any particular time period or cultural tradition. The bits of impressions imbedded in my mind from childhood when I discovered for myself the fascinating worlds of Bruegel and Bosch, some scattered memories from my past intertwined with pure fantasy, together turn into this world of festivals and celebrations, where the multitude of parallel stories develop before my eyes as I paint.

My recent series, Exotica, is executed in a completely different, highly decorative and ornamental style, created specifically for the depiction of this highly stylized fantasy world, full of splendor and sensuality.
I apply a new technique I developed, using gold, silver, copper and jewel-toned enamels mainly on black or other dark canvas or board. This choice of materials helps me to convey the sense of refined luxury and rich adornment of the scenery and characters that I portray. The figures I painted here are supple, exquisite, full of plasticity and the grace of exotic dance. They are contoured with thin, softly flowing lines combined with the flat captured geometry reminiscent of ancient cultures.

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Information

Name: GAGO OGANESYAN

City: Los Angeles

Joined: November 19, 2011

Genre: Drawing, Painting

My Groups: BLUE