Vartan Markarian

Biography

Born and resides in Poltava.

Education:
In 2014, graduated from Poltava National Technical University named after Yuri Kondratyuk with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts.

In recent years, Vartan’s primary creative focus has been on urban and industrial landscapes, exploring the dialogue between humans and the city, personal searches, and psychological barriers. For the artist, the main goal is to remain independent, with complete creative freedom, the constant opportunity to experiment, and the pursuit of new discoveries. Artists have countless opportunities: to imagine, reflect through artistic language, observe the present moment around us, look into the future, and create new realities.

Exhibitions:

2019 – Error 417. Expectation Failed, Art Gallery, Mykola Yaroshenko Museum, Poltava
2019 – Solo exhibition “Danger Seeks a Fairy Tale”, JUMP Contemporary Art Gallery, Poltava
2018 – Participant in the project “Genesis: Without Three Steps”, Palazzo Velli Expo, Rome, Italy
2018 – Participant in Blockchain Art Hackathon 2.0, Kyiv
2018 – Solo exhibition “City Identification”, AVS-Art Gallery, Kyiv
2017 – Participant in “Fixation of the Imaginary”, Institute of Contemporary Art Problems at the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine and the Taras Shevchenko National Museum, Kyiv. Curator: Marina Yur
2017 – Finalist of “Art-Battle”, White World Gallery, Kyiv
2017 – Participant in the project “White on White”, JUMP Contemporary Art Gallery, Poltava
2017 – Solo exhibition, series “Smoke Part 2”, Glass Gallery, Kyiv
2017 – International Symposium “Imago Anima”, Trnava, Slovakia
2017 – Participant in “Art Autumn Contemporary”, M17 Contemporary Art Center, Kyiv
2017 – Art Platform 11, Land Art Festival, Poltava
2016 – Solo exhibition, series “URBAN”, Art Gallery, Mykola Yaroshenko Museum, Poltava
2016 – Solo exhibition, series “Smoke”, JUMP Contemporary Art Gallery, Poltava. Curator: Anton Usanov
Awards and Achievements:

2018 – Presidential Scholarship of Ukraine for young artists in the field of fine arts
2016, 2017 – Presidential Scholarship of Ukraine (wood carving, National Union of Folk Art Masters of Ukraine)
2015 – Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine

Works

"Journey to the Endless Horizons"

Arriving in Travneve, you feel as though you've been shrunk several times over. The endless horizon and vast sky make you imagine yourself as a diligent insect. You become aware of your freedom—no one can encroach on your space.

Each person, like an ant with their own responsibilities and tasks, lives among the "thick grass and forests"—villages and cities. They strive to build the anthills of the future, feeling free and safe. But has it always been this way?

The history of Travneve tells us that in a single moment, everything can come to an abrupt end. Entire villages may be forced to abandon their homes and set out into the unknown—victims of forced resettlement.