Armenian Art Scene: Ervand Kochar Museum. Kochar was an influencer in the Avant-Garde movement within Europe

In Armenia's capital city of Yerevan, there's an art museum so unassuming you wouldn't know it was there if you didn't Google it beforehand. This is the Ervand Kochar Museum, dedicated to painter and sculptor Yrevand Kochar (1899-1979).

Born in modern-day Georgia, he studied art in Moscow and eventually moved to Paris in 1923. He was an influencer in the Avant-Garde movement within Europe, rubbing shoulders with other visionaries of the time, including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Kochar founded the concept of spatial painting, in which time is a dimension of art. By 1936, he moved to the USSR-controlled Armenia. Imprisoned between 1941-1943 on politically motivated charges, it's clear there are political statements throughout his work. In 1984, the museum was founded posthumously in Kochar's own home. You can try to imagine which room was his studio as you walk through the exhibit.

Disasters of the War by Ervand Kochar at Yerevan's Kochar Museum.

Kochar's work is heavily influenced by cubism which is shown through interpretation of shape and color. He depicts the skewed features that are associated with cubism in both paintings and sculptures. A recurring theme in Kochar's work is "The City and Man." He explores different realms, or realities, and hides these worlds within his interpretation of the human body. Staircases and buildings can be hidden within the torso, appearing to be intestines. This is to emphasize what a future society would look like and its effect on man.

In his piece Mechanical Man, Kochar uses this technique. A man leans against a table with his arm reaching towards the viewer. He looks off into the distance with melancholy longing. The city unfolds within his torso, featuring skyscrapers and the appearance of a vast metropolis. A direct contradiction to the curvature in the rest of the piece, the city is sharp and mechanical. His left thigh hollows out to another section of the inner-city. It features a man walking towards a staircase; making one assume he's going towards the city.

Sculpture by Ervand Kochar at Yerevan's Kochar Museum.

A political statement and think piece, Kochar is provocative. Is this the goal? Does the daily hustle and bustle produce a better future? Is this what's good for man? Judging by Kochar's saddened portrayal, the metal jungle may not be the ideal. The coldness of the city leaves him lonely and waiting, ready to grab hands with the viewer.

The Ervand Kochar Museum is located near the Cascade Complex in Yerevan. The guided tour includes a range of his work, from early sketches to moving sculptures. It's open everyday except for Monday and tickets are just under $5 USD.