Anatomy of Poster Art in Armenia’s People’s Movement

BY RUBEN MALAYAN
Special to Asbarez

Twenty one days ago something incredible started: A movement which is currently making history. Revolution hit us like a tsunami, Just a month ago this situation might have been inconceivable. But it is a reality now. Unprecedented by its scale and impact, it affected me and everyone else around me.

Poster art has always been at the forefront of every revolution. I was trained as a graphic artist and already had experience of designing posters for the Armenian Genocide Posters project and Electric Yerevan.

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With these works I am trying to express the collective feelings of the people who are making this titanic change in our destiny; inspired by the faces of the people on the streets of Armenian cities, the collective joy and happiness at the sign of every little victory, the energy of posters I design evolves alongside the movement. And we are still in the midst of it, with much responsibility on our shoulders.

I want to thank Diaspora as a collective, and many individuals, some friends and some people I never knew who stand by us and support this tremendous positive change which is happening at these very days. Your support is very much valued, appreciated and thankfully it is properly used now. And lastly I want to call upon you, at your ability, to return home, and help us make this the country we always dreamed of. This is the best shot we are ever going to get.

Ruben Malayan (1971) is an artist, photographer and art director. He holds degrees from Terlemezian Art College (painting) & from the State Institute of Fine Arts (graphics) in Yerevan, Armenia. A distinguished art director with a rich history of graphic design and television production, his career spans almost 25 years and includes extensive experience in virtually all types of media production including broadcast animation and camera work.

His book (“The Art of Armenian Calligraphy / ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ԳԵՂԱԳՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԱՐՎԵՍՏ / L’Art Calligraphique Armènienne”) focuses on the evolution of the calligraphic tradition and placing it on a stage upon which it can be studied as an independent art form

Ruben’s graphic posters have been published in a number of books and magazines in Israel, Armenia, the United States, Netherlands and France, and have received critical acclaim in the visual effects and art direction industry.