Some artists live lives so entwined with their work that the two become inseparable. Gayane Khachaturian is one such artist—a woman who, from the moment she emerged on the artistic stage, captivated attention. Her paintings invite viewers into a phantasmagoric realm, breaking free from the constraints of everyday reality and guiding them on an endless, dreamlike journey.
Gayane Khachaturian. Wine, Veil. Oil, canvas. 64x63.5 cm. 1984-1985. ATINATI Private Collection
Gayane Khachaturian’s style did not undergo a drastic evolution: her talent and artistic taste matured early. It’s safe to say that by 1955, when her mother brought 13-year-old Gayane to the Tbilisi Art School, she already possessed a clearly defined creative vision. That’s why, as the artist later recalled, her teacher Guguli Kurdiani tried not to suppress the child’s unique artistic voice: Kurdiani instead opened the door to magical realism for young Gayane. Later came her discovery of Paul Gauguin’s work and a deeper engagement with the broader history of painting.
Although Gayane Khachaturian held Gauguin in high regard, there are fundamental differences between them. Gauguin always depicted the world around him—his bold use of color and sweeping generalizations were shaped by the exotic environments he encountered. In contrast, Khachaturian’s work stood apart from reality. She was not drawn to everyday narratives or depictions of the real world: from an early age, she gazed into a magical mirror that reflected only feelings and associations. “I chose another world—the world of a traveling dwarf,” she once said. Biographical notes like these help us understand Gayane Khachaturian’s art.
Gayane Khachaturian. Dancing Kinto and Cellist. Oil, canvas. 1986-1987. ATINATI Private Collection.
What was this unique world she depicted so tirelessly through countless paintings and graphic works? It was Tbilisi. Perhaps no one has ever portrayed our capital with such mystery as Gayane Khachaturian did. She truly loved the city, and delighted in its diversity. For her, Tbilisi’s past and present coexisted, blending into one.
All of us come from our childhood- a period in which we gain those special experiences that time cannot erase. Khachaturian was deeply immersed in the memories of her early years. Childhood was her shelter. From there, she observed the world beyond the mirror and depicted it with her inexhaustible imagination. “My childhood is Mushtaidi, the murmur of the Mtkvari River, and my mother’s stories about her village and ancestors.”
Gayane Khachaturian. White Carousel. Oil. canvas. 43,5x48 cm. 1995. ATINATI Private Collection
Elsewhere, she admitted that the real world was terrifying. Her friends recalled that she was like a nun and a madwoman at once. She used to whisper and sing; to speak only of feelings, ignoring the trivialities of daily life. Interacting with her is said to have been both difficult and easy at the same time, as she refused to let her interlocuters return to reality.
What unfolds on Gayane Khachaturian’s canvases? The spectator stands before a stage where a magnificent scene stretches out beyond the footlights. In a dark, almost black area, bright flashes of red, purple, white, and blue shimmer and sparkle. The eye is drawn first to the stark contrasts of light and the kaleidoscopic play of colors. Then, gradually, one notices strange, roughly-hewn figures slowly moving across the stage. They seem to perform a secret ritual, and we, as silent observers, follow their mysterious melody. Exactly when the music begins to emerge from Khachaturian’s paintings is hard to say, but its presence is as undeniable as the rhythm of action, which is felt more than heard. The depth in her canvases is always limited as if by a stage curtain: the action plays out in the foreground, controlled by a stylized, conditional perspective. Stereotypical figures—mainly women—command the scene with majestic presence. Their costumes are the fruit of an extraordinary imagination: wide, flowing gowns, and towering hats adorned with countless jewels. Page boys, animals, and various fantastical elements are woven into a single, inseparable composition.
Gayane Khachaturian. Actor's Birth. Oil, canvas. 40x50 cm. 2006. ATINATI Private Collection
Gayane Khachaturian. Красная ночь пурпурого слога. Oil, canvas. 72x86 cm. 2006. ATINATI Private Collection_
The color red in Gayane Khachaturian’s work is what makes her paintings instantly recognizable: all her emotional intensity and creative power seem to be concentrated in this color.
Khachaturian portrays the night as if lit by the sun. This blending of time—the coexistence of day and night—is a distinctive feature of her work.
“I fell asleep for the first time in 1942, on May 8–9, at midnight, in a round room, with the moon in my hand. The red sun floated beyond the window. They were taking me to the house where the lions lived. They led me across a bridge made of glass cherry tree branches. From the house came the sound of a juggler’s song, which transformed into the sound of a violin.”
Gayane Khachaturian’s paintings mesmerize us with their rich colors and the astonishing intensity they convey. In them, we see carousel animals—toy horses, lions, and others—like those in the Mushtaidi Garden. These fantastic creatures are controlled by juggling gnomes, acrobats, and costumed clowns, as if they wield magic wands, and, in them, we witness a thousand transformations in their every gesture.
Gayane Khachaturian. Night Dance of Silver Lute Players. Oil, plywood. D. 50cm. 1990. ATINATI Private Collection
Gayane Khachaturian. Утро Шорох фиалки Вечер Арфовая ночь синего ореха. Oil, canvas. 72,4x156 cm. 1997. ATINATI Private Collection
Although, by the early 1970s, her paintings clearly revealed a deep familiarity with global artistic traditions, Khachaturian never strayed from her convictions. Her anchor in both art and life remained Old Tbilisi- with its unresolved mysteries, the imagined ideal of Armenia, and her unique gift for panoramic storytelling. When painting such scenes, she was undoubtedly influenced by the Boschian world. Dutch painting, with its realistic lighting, profound use of color, and deep philosophical outlook, was one of the driving forces behind her creative expression. Khachaturian was also clearly influenced by the Fauvists, particularly by the work of Martiros Saryan, and had an undeniable affinity with A. Melikov, whose artistic vision left a mark on many, including Gayane herself.
Gayane Khachaturian. Синяя тень айвы на барсовой струне верджинеля. Oil, canvas. 48x114 cm. 2004-2006. ATINATI Private Collection
Gayane Khachaturian’s oeuvre consists of both paintings and graphic works. These vary in size—some are large, others small—but all bear the mark of a true monumentalist.
Notably, black plays a dominant role in her work. As a symbol of infinite depth and the mystery of night, black creates a powerful backdrop for Gayane’s vibrant palette. One cannot help but draw a comparison to Niko Pirosmani, a master of black, whose influence lingers in the imagination of every artist born and raised in Tbilisi. The spirit of Pirosmani is inevitably present in Gayane’s work, whether consciously or not.
Gayane Khachaturian also tried her hand at mural painting. She created the fresco Armenia, in which she employed the fluid, airy lines so characteristic of her graphic work. The white background of the wall gives the composition a special radiance. Executed with a rhythmic line and translucent colors, the fresco depicts Khachaturian’s typical female figure. In this image, the appearance of the Armenian woman is brought to life.
Gayane Khachaturian. Armenia. Fresco. 1997
In this way, Gayane Khachaturian’s work represents a harmonious fusion—born in the heart of Tbilisi, yet imbued with a distinct national character. She had a deep understanding of her poetic nature, and embodied it through her art. The phenomenon of Gayane Khachaturian will forever stand as a shining example of modern art—an invitation to journey, again and again, into a world of magic and wonder.
