Abstract Paintings Celebrate the Armenian-American Experience
GLENDALE—Forest Lawn Museum presents “Memory and Motion: The Paintings of Hratchya Hayents,” an abstract art exhibition that highlights the triumph of the human spirit and addresses themes of nationality, equality, and unity. Featuring more than 20 new and recent works by Armenian-American artist Hratchya Hayents, this is the artist’s first solo exhibition. “Memory and Motion” will be on view in Forest Lawn Museum’s front gallery space from October 23, 2024–January 12, 2025.
Born in Cyprus and raised in Soviet Armenia, Hayents was trained in both sculpture and painting at the Academy of Fine Arts before immigrating to the United States in 1980. Upon his arrival in America, he began exploring the world of Abstract Expressionism, which flourished in the United States during much of the Cold War. Serving as a vibrant means of self-expression, the style has given Hayents freedom with which to examine political and personal experiences.
The paintings in “Memory and Motion” are reminiscent of landscapes, battles, emotions, dancing figures, birds, and more. Hayents’s paintings capture the physical interpretation of these concepts through a harmonious blend of action and meditation. They allow the viewer to tap into their subconscious as they absorb the imagery and vast fields of color in each artwork. Through bright colors and swift movements, viewers can imagine the physical action of creating this work. Additionally, Hayents’s background in sculpture is apparent in many of his pieces. He frequently builds up layers of paint on the canvas, before cutting into them with his brush and revealing the various strata of pigment.
Of his own work and inspiration Hayents stated, “My guiding impulse is the belief that love and peace are the primary drivers of the human spirit, and that colors—like tears—have no nationality.” Hayents—a nine-year employee of Forest Lawn—radiates positivity and kindness. “Hayents’s personality shines as brightly as his artwork, and both are a reminder of how optimism can bring hope to tumultuous experiences,” said exhibition curator and Director of Forest Lawn Museum James Fishburne, PhD. “He is constantly exploring new themes and experimenting with different techniques. His art grows and evolves with every painting. We are delighted to showcase his depiction of the Armenian-American experience for the community.”
The exhibition will be on view at Forest Lawn Museum from October 23, 2024-January 12, 2025. There will be an opening reception on Wednesday, October 23 from 5:00 PM-7:30 PM at Forest Lawn Museum, located at Forest Lawn—Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Blvd., Glendale, CA 91205. The event will feature live music and complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The free, family-friendly event includes free parking, and is open to the public, ADA compliant, and wheelchair accessible. Guests are invited to RSVP to museum@forestlawn.com or 323-340-4782.
Another exhibition, “Narcissus Quagliata: Archetypes and Visions in Light and Glass” will also premiere on October 23. It is the first retrospective exhibition devoted to one of the most influential figures in art glass from the past 50 years. From technical advances in glass fusing, to radical stylistic innovations, Narcissus Quagliata has redefined what it means to be a glass artist. He has been instrumental in moving stained glass beyond ecclesiastical and domestic settings and into the realms of public art and avant-garde studio practices for contemporary fine art. Both exhibitions will be on view during Forest Lawn’s upcoming Día de los Muertos event on Sunday, October 27, 2024, with “Narcissus Quagliata: Archetypes and Visions in Light and Glass” closing on March 9, 2025.
Museum visiting hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection: Located next to Forest Lawn Museum, the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection showcases “The Crucifixion” (195 ft. x 45 ft.), which is the largest painting in the Western United States. It was painted by Polish artist Jan Styka in the 1890s. The building also houses “The Resurrection” (70 ft. x 51 ft.), which was painted by American artist Robert Clark in 1965. Visitors can view the newly revamped 18-minute, documentary-style audiovisual program, which includes a new video and narration that tell the history of two colossal paintings and the unique building that Forest Lawn created to house them. The audiovisual program runs Tuesday–Sunday on the hour (10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed at 1 p.m. for lunch). Closed occasionally for special events. For more details about the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, visit the wesbite.
Great Mausoleum visiting hours are from 9:30 am to 4:15 p.m daily. Admission and parking to Forest Lawn Museum, the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, and the Great Mausoleum are free. For more information or to schedule a free group tour, please call 323-340-4782, email museum@forestlawn.com, or visit the website.
Please note, Forest Lawn Museum is located at the top of the hill within Forest Lawn-Glendale. Please follow Museum and/or event signage.
Forest Lawn Museum first opened in 1952 and is now comprised of three galleries and a gift shop. The renowned permanent collection of sculpture, stained glass windows, mosaics, and architecture is spread across Forest Lawn’s six Southern California locations. Forest Lawn’s founder, Dr. Hubert Eaton, wrote in his Builder’s Creed that our park should be “a place where artists study and sketch; where school teachers bring happy children to see the things they read of in books.” In that spirit, selections of Forest Lawn Museum’s permanent collection of photographs, paintings, and bronze and marble sculptures are on display in the museum’s front gallery. Forest Lawn Museum typically dedicates two galleries to world-class rotating exhibits, which focus on topics ranging from aerial photography to puppetry to stained glass.
Forest Lawn Museum is located adjacent to the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, which houses “The Crucifixion,” a 195-foot wide by 45-foot high painting by Polish artist Jan Styka. Other notable pieces in Forest Lawn’s collection can be found in the Great Mausoleum, including the “Last Supper” stained glass window by artist Rosa Caselli-Moretti, the “Poets’ Windows,” and marble replicas of Michelangelo’s “Moses” and “Pietà.”
