Armen Agop is an Egyptian–Armenian contemporary artist and sculptor based in Pietrasanta, Italy. Known for his abstract, minimalist sculptures, he uses black granite and basalt as his main mediums of expression. His primary themes explore the tension between movement and stillness as well as the timeless potential of art.
Early life and education
Agop was born Armen Guerboyan to Armenian parents living in Cairo, Egypt. Raised between these two cultures with ancient roots, Agop was drawn to the endurance of historical art and artifacts, and he was also affected by the dry landscape of Egypt, saying, "It was in the desert, where there seems to be nothing, that's where I learned to see". By the age of 13 Agop was a student of Simon Shahrigian. He finished the Faculty of the Fine Arts at Helwan University in Cairo. After graduating, he received an assistant researcher scholarship.
Career
In 2000, Agop was awarded the Prix de Rome, the State Prize of Artistic Creativity in Egypt. After staying in Rome the first year on sponsorship, he moved to Pietrasanta, Italy where he continues to live and work today. In 2013, he was awarded the Premio Sulmona, Rassegna Internazionale D’Arte Contemporanea, Presidential Medal of the Italian Republic. His works are represented in the Egyptian Modern Art Museum, Egypt, Villa Empain/Boghossian Foundation in Belgium, Giardino di Piazza Stazione in Barge, Italy, and Coral Springs Museum of Art in Florida, USA. Agop is known for an ascetic approach to abstract sculpture, mainly using black granite and basalt. In his own words on minimalism, "Simplicity is very complicated". Agop's work has also often been described as "Contrasting Art" where the contemporary and the ancient meet; his artistic presence springs from his cross-cultural philosophy. "The ancient and the contemporary may seem very different, but I think the essentials are the same", he said in Art Plural: Voices of Contemporary Art.
Touch
The Touch series consists of sculptures that are activated by the viewer's touch, causing them to rock or sway. Agop invites the viewer to move beyond visual observation into physical interaction, rejecting the sacredness of art.
Sufic
The title of this series refers to Sufism, a simple life of prayer, reflecting Agop's own meditative process. In pursuit of one central form that balances stillness and movement, Agop also sculpted these works to sway at a slight touch, yet appear solid and unmoving.
Transcontemporary
In 2015, Agop used the term "Transcontemporary" to describe the tension between past and future in art that is referred to today as contemporary. "Contemporary" is an ever-changing term, as what is now considered ancient was once contemporary. So, Agop mixes the 'ancient' with the 'contemporary' by sculpting durable stone without obvious references to modern times, creating an ultimate work that rejects categorization.
