1996_03 The Daily Collegian March 1996

              Hye Sharzhoom
March 1996
iqh
American-Armdnian Artist Expresses with Energy
Staff Article
The immediate reaction
towards Ara Dolarian's exibition
Interior Energy Fields, currently ar
the Fresno Art Museum, February
13 through March 31, is the power
of his scale and the movement he
creates. Dolarian leaves the repre¬
sentational attributes to the audi¬
ence. "People say they look like
palm trees or the ocean," explains
the artist, "that's okay. To me it
represents the pushing/pulling ten¬
sion that exists in life." Although
the artist was educated in art during
the era of the abstract expression¬
ism movement he rejects the idea
of labeling his an. His pieces are
personal, a two year period of his
searching and investigating of his
own internal energy fields. His
pieces are also, he asserts, an ex¬
pression of his Armenianness.
Dolarian's paintings ac¬
complish his objective of pushing
and pulling, but also within the
long sweeping blades of color they
also seem to achieve a transient
relationship. One vivid hue comes
slicing up from the bottom merg¬
ing with another descending from
the top. Many of the pieces work
along this convention, creating a
completeness within the exhibition.
The paintings are, as the artist de¬
scribes it. die resolution of the situ¬
ation withmtlierjaiitting. The paint-
ings do not necessarily represent
periods or circumstances in his life
directly, but rather an extension of
life itself.
Dolarian, born and raised
in Fresno has memories of child¬
hood and family that have become
a strong influence on his contem¬
porary themes. Although his father
would probably disparage his
choice of careers, he attributes his
earliest inspirations to his father.
"He would be driving," recalls
Dolarian, "and screech the brakes
From I. to r., Dr. Vostanik Maroukhlan, Dr. Edward Chubarlan, Dr.
Harold Haak, Rafael Matevosslan, Dr. Michael Sarafian, and
Varoujean Der Simonian.
By Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Yerevan State University and
State Engineering Institute of Ar¬
menia officials were in Fresno for a
two-day visit, February 13-14, with
Fresno State officials.
The Armenian Studies Pro¬
gram hosted the delegation, whose
visit and itinerary were developed
with the assistance of Dr. Harold
Haak, President Emeritus ofFresno
State, who deserves special recog¬
nition for his participation. The of¬
ficials were based in California
State University, Pomona where
they had been participating in a
month-long program to learn about
American universities and how they
operate.
Academic Vice-President Dr.
Edward Chubarian and Vice-Presi¬
dent for International Relations
Rafael Matevossian represented
Yerevan State University and Vice-
President Dr. Vostanik Maroukhian
and Chairman of the Foreign Rela¬
tions Office Dr. Michael Sarafian
represented the State Engineering
Institute.     „
Fresno State University Pro¬
vost and Vice President for Aca¬
demic Affairs Dr. Alex Gonzalez
met with the delegation to discuss
future closer ties between the uni¬
versities. Dr. Peter Klassen, Dean
of the School of Social Sciences
and Director of International Pro¬
grams was also involved in the dis¬
cussions.
The delegation from the State
Engineering Institute had the op¬
portunity to meet with Dr. Ekten
Shaw, Dean of the School of Engi¬
neering and with Dr. Hamo
Lalehzarian and Dr. Kenneth
Moshier of the Industrial Technol¬
ogy Department
The delegation from Yerevan
State University met with Dr. Luis
Costa, Dean of the School of Arts
and Humanities, Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian, Director of the Arme¬
nian Studies Program, and Barlow
Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian
Studies Program.
It was generally agreed that
the result of the three day stay in
Fresno was a clear perception and a
definite willingness on both sides
for an enlarging of the existing ex -
cnange agreement between Fresno^
Stap and Yerevan State Univer¬
sity; A further agreement between
Fresno State and the State Engi¬
neering University should to be
drafted soon.
The delegation urged Fresno
State students to come to Armenia
for a year, semester, or summer
program, especially as conditions
in Armenia are improving.
Although brief, the visit by the
Armenian University officials was
extremely beneficial in developing
plans between the universities.
and say, 'Look at that view.'" This
visualization ability within childre n
to create and express is lost in ma¬
turity because negative environ¬
ments around us.
Dolarian contends it is
weakness to set aside individual
innate originality and lean upon
previous success. He refers to the
5th century as golden era of Arme¬
nian art "Innovation in painting
and architecture was beyond any¬
thing comparable today." He as¬
serts, "They attained the space of
spirituality, pushing inorganic to
the edge of profound faith and be¬
yond." This is the kind of inspira¬
tion he seeks to invoke within his
own journey.
As Dolarian recognizes
forces within his own life those
energies begin to take on a life of
their own within the piece. "Each
composition is a resolution of the
problem within it Each piece is
different because the evolution of
color and compo¬
sition demands an
individual re¬
sponse." Viewers
are captured inside
of the image, iden¬
tifying or associat¬
ing with some thing
from their own per¬
sonality.
Toad-
mire his structures
for their communi¬
cation of the propo¬
sition allows an in-
volvement within
the medium no less
than inclusion into
Dolarian himself.
Interior Energy
Fields transcends
abstract art with
this awareness and
entitles its audience
to resolve theirown
inner forces.
Artist Ara Dolarian with Untitled # 54
)
Armenian Studies Program
Fall '96
SCHEDULE OF COURSES
;       Armenian 1A- Elementary Armenian
11:10-12:00 MTWF
Armenian 2A- Intermediate Armenian
12:10-1:00 MTWF
Arm Studies 10- Intro Arm Studies
9:45-11:00
10:10-11:00 MWF
5:10-9:00 F/8:10-4:00 S
(section meets 9/20-9/21,9/27- 9/28 & 10/4-10/5)
ArmS 108A- Arm History
9:10-10:00 MWF
. Arm Studies 45- Saroyan & Film
5:10-9:00 F/8:10-4:00 8
(section meets 10/25- 10/26,11/1- 11/2 & 11/8- 11/9)
Arm Studies 120T- Armenians in America
5:10-9:00 F/9:i0-5:00 S
(section meets 10/11-10/12)