YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the French Armenian painter Zareh Mutafian (1907-1980) will open at the National Picture Gallery of Armenia on October 19. Art critic Shahen Khachatrian said at the October 18 press conference that the exhibition will display about 40 paintings by Z. Mutafian, 17 of which have been brought from France by his son, historian Armen-Claude Mutafian. In his words, the exhibition is a reflection of Z. Mutafian's human feelings, dreams of a man who lost his homeland. According to S. Khachatrian, the painting style of Zareh Mutafian is close to impressionism and speaks in warm and sonorous colors. Drawing and color are linked in his paintings. Although Z. Mutafian created works of various genres, landscape paintings prevail. "Bravely mixing colors, the painter's brush gives an inner fluttering to the surroundings full of vegetation," the art critic noted. Z. Mutafian was one of the first Diasporan Armenian artists to be invited to Armenia in 1967 and organize a personal exhibition in his house. According to S. Khachatrian, the first meeting of the painter with native land inspired an inexpressible creative energy. "With great inspiration, he created native landscape paintings: mountains covered with snow, monasteries on hills," he said, adding that these works were feelings of his infinite love for the homeland found once again. Z. Mutafian created more than a thousand canvases and held dozens of exhibitions in Paris, New York and other cities.

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