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GUIRAGOSSIAN Paul
Born in 1926 in Jerusalem, Paul Guiragossian was a child who had remarkable
ease in drawing his friends and the people around him. He thought everybody
was capable of doing the same thing. He didn’t realize until much later that
he was one of the select few, whom providence had graced with this
exceptional gift.
Until the age of seven Paul and his younger brother grew up in boarding
schools because it was the only way their mother as a single parent was able
to work for these establishments and have her 2 sons get an education. After
moving back with his mother, Paul had to work in the summers to support his
family but even then his passion for painting was stronger than him.
His mother would destroy and throw his works and forbid him from painting,
because she use to say, art won't feed your family, but after everyone went
to bed, Paul would bring out his hidden materials and with a dim oil lamp
light continue painting.
In 1942 Paul attended Studio Yarkon in Jerusalem to start improving his
passion of painting. Later on he moved and settled in Lebanon and in 1953
married Juliette Hindian a young painter who first was his student. Together
they had 5 children Sylva, Emmanuel, Araxie, Jean-Paul and Manuella.
In 1956, Paul won the first prize of the Italian Biennial, which landed him
a scholarship to study at the Academia di Belle Arti di Firenze (The Academy
of Fine Arts of Florence).
In 1961-2, with another scholarship from the French Government Paul spent a
year studying and painting in Paris after which he returned to reside in
Lebanon.
In 1989 to 1991 Paul lived in Paris with his family, and painted his largest
masterpieces and in 1992 had a solo art show at the IMA (Institut du Monde
Arab).
Paul passed away in 1993 on the 20th of November in Beirut, after finalizing
a magnificiant oil painting which he revealed to his family to be his best
work yet.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1954 - The “La Palette” gallery – Beirut
1955 - The Center of Superior Studies – Beirut
1956 - The “La Palette” gallery – Beirut
1958 - The “La Permanente” & “Schubert” galleries – Florence
1959 - The Center of Superior Studies – Beirut
1960 - The Center of Superior Studies – Beirut
The “Alecco Saab” gallery – Beirut
1961 - The “Alecco Saab” gallery – Beirut
1962 - The “Mouffe” gallery – Paris
The “L’Orient” gallery – Beirut
1963 - The “Alecco Saab” gallery – Beirut
The “L’Orient” gallery – Beirut
The “Cairola” gallery – Milano
1964 - The “L’Orient” gallery – Beirut
Alumni Club (Retrospective) – Beirut
1965 - The “Maison des Artists” – Marbourg
The “Gartenhaus” gallery – Frankfurt
1967 - The “Angle du Faubourg” gallery - Paris
The “L’Amateur” gallery – Beirut
1969 - The “L’Amateur” gallery – Beirut
1970 - The “L’Orient” gallery – Beirut
The “L’Amateur” gallery – Beirut
Corcoran Gallery of Art – Washington DC
1974 -The “Studio 27” gallery – Beirut
The “Modulart” gallery – Beirut
1975 - The “University” gallery – Chicago
1977 - The Riyadh Intercontinental Hotel – Riyadh
The Chase Manhattan Bank – Beirut
The « Palais de la Culture” in Lebanon – Rabyeh (Lebanon)
The St.Elie Grand Hall – Antelias (Lebanon)
The National Museum – Damascus
1978 - The National Council of Culture of Culture, Arts & Letters – Kuwait
1979 - The St. Elie Grand Hall – Antelias (Lebanon)
The “Elcir” gallery – Mkalles (Lebanon)
1980 - The St.Elie Grand Hall – Antelias (Lebanon)
981 – “Galerie Chahine” – Beirut.
The exhibition hall of the Ministry of Tourism – Beirut
1982 - “Gallery One”, Casino du Liban – Maameltein (Lebanon)
Jordan National Gallery – Amman
1983 - The “Gab Center” – Beirut
1984 - The “Carlton” hotel – Beirut
1985 - The “Gab” center- Beirut
The “Fakra” gallery – Fakra (Lebanon)
The Belmont Hotel exhibition hall – Ehden, Lebanon
The Cultural Center of Arts & Letters – Kuwait
The “Petra” gallery – Amman, Jordan
The “Minsk” museum – Belarussia
1987 - Cultural Center of AGBU – New York, USA
Cultural Center of Tekeyan – Los Angeles, USA
Gallery St. John – Detroit, USA
Platform International Gallery – Washington DC, USA
1989 - Unesco – Paris, France
The “Argile” gallery – London, England
1990 - Aleppo, Syria
Damascus, Syria
International Art Center – Beirut, Lebanon
Centre Culturel Français de Beyrouth, (Retrospective Exhibition) –
Beirut, Lebanon
Cultural Center – Sidon, Lebanon
Cultural Center –Tripoli, Lebanon
1992 - The “IMA” Museum (Institue Du Monde Arabe) – Paris, France
Ministry of Tourism of Lebaon. Beirut, Lebanon
Cultural Center. Bekaa, Lebanon
1993 - “Chateau Fort” – Tripoli, Lebanon
‘Akhnaton Gallery’ - Cairo, Egypt.
1994 - “Masrah El Madinat” (Paul Guiragossian and Theater exhibition) -
Beirut, Lebanon.
Emmagoss Art Gallery, (Homage to the Artist exhibition) – Beirut,
Lebanon
1995 - Emmagoss Art Gallery, (China Inks of Guiragossian) – Beirut, Lebanon
1997 - USEK “Universite Saint Esprit de Kaslik” - (Sketches and Watercolors
Exhibition).
Kaslik, Lebanon
1999 - National Evangelical Church in Down Town Beirut (Images of Faith
exhibition) –
Beirut,Lebanon
2000 - Centre Culturel Francais de Beyrouth, (The Art of Portraits
exhibition) – Beirut,Lebanon
2002 - Emmagoss Art Gallery, (Latest Works exhibition) – Beirut, Lebanon
2003 - The Green Art Gallery – Dubai, UAE
2004 - The Press Club’s homage to Paul Guiragossian in the Press
Headquarters Center in
Down Town Beirut, Lebanon
2007 - Dar Al Funoon - Exhibition of watercolors - Kuwait
2008 - Emmagoss Art Gallery - Beirut. Exhibition entitled "L'Empire Des
Meres".
- Art Dubai, in collaboration with Art Space Dubai .
PRIZES & AWARDS
1956 - First Prize of the Academy of Fine Arts, - Beirut, Lebanon
First Prize of “Biennial of Florence” – Italy
Gold Medal of “ The Group Exhibition of Toscan” – Florence
1957 - Gold Medal of the International Exhibitions at the “Permanente”
Gallery, Florence, Italy
1959 - Prize of the French Biennial
1964 - Prize of Fine Arts – German Association of Arts & Culture – Germany.
1968 - First Prize Sursock Museum – Beirut, Lebanon.
1969 - First Prize of “Phillips” – Beirut, Lebanon
1970 - First Prize of “The National Education”, - Beirut, Lebanon.
1974 - Knighted by the German Government
1984 - Knighted by the French Government “Chevalier de l’Ordre, des Arts et
des Lettres” - Paris,France.
1985 - Prize of Fine Arts of Mardiros Sarian -Yerevan, Armenia.1986 -
Knighted by his His Holiness
The Pope Jean-Paul II, “Chevalier de l’Ordre” of St. Silvestre -
Vatican.
Knighted by his His Holiness Karekin the II, Catholicos of Cicilia
,“Chevalier de l’Ordre” of
St. Mesrob Mashdots. Antelias, Lebanon.
1993 - After his passing Guiragossian was Knighted by the Lebanese
Government with the Medal of
Honour of the Cedar.
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