The Artistic Influence of Haroutiun Galentz: Exploring the Form of Colour

**Haroutiun Galentz: Repositioning a Modernist Beyond National Canons**

A new English-language monograph, *Haroutiun Galentz: The Form of Colour* (Skira, 2025), edited by Vartan Karapetian and Marie Tomb, reexamines the 20th-century Armenian–Lebanese artist Haroutiun Galentz as a cosmopolitan modernist whose contributions transcend national boundaries. This first monograph in English compiles Galentz’s works from the Janibekyan Collection, the National Gallery of Armenia, and other institutions across Europe, Asia, and North America. Through a collection of paintings, archival documents, correspondence, and memoirs, the book positions Galentz’s work within an international context.

Born into a turbulent era, Galentz survived the Armenian Genocide and began anew in Beirut. There, he became integral to the city’s artistic landscape during the interwar and postwar periods. Between 1920 and 1946, Galentz thrived within the city’s dynamic yet fragile cultural scene. His participation in the Lebanese Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair significantly elevated Lebanese modernism on the global stage, challenging the notion that it emerged only after the 1950s.

Galentz’s later relocation to the Soviet Union ushered in a challenging phase, as his introspective style existed somewhat at odds with the prevailing ideological expectations. His 1962 solo exhibition received praise from critics like Ilya Ehrenburg and Alexander Gitovich but coincided with Khrushchev’s denunciation of nonconformist art, illustrating the tension his work navigated.

Galentz’s oeuvre reflects a deep negotiation between tradition and innovation. His Beaux-Arts education and engagement with the French avant-gardes influenced his color palette and compositional techniques. Adapting elements of Socialist Realism, he gradually embraced abstraction, reflecting his experiences of displacement and adaptation.

To explore Galentz’s work, *Haroutiun Galentz: The Form of Colour* is available for order through [bookshop.org](https://bit.ly/4bj8r3b?ref=hyperallergic.com), [skira-arte.com](https://bit.ly/3P4JrFl?ref=hyperallergic.com), and [artbook.com](https://bit.ly/4lHpFMB?ref=hyperallergic.com).