Achot Achot
born 1961 in Yerewan, lives and works in Paris
Languages
Russian, French, Armenian
http://www.afactum.com

afactum@alicemail.fr

A French artist of Armenian origin, Achot Achot was one of the founding members of the avant-garde Armenian movement known as the Third Floor in Yerevan before creating a stir in 1989 in Paris at the Salpetrière chapel in a show titled The Avant-Garde from Armenia to Paris. Achot Achot exhibits internationally: his theoretically-informed art is also remarkable for its technical and artistic qualities. Since 1988 his work has followed the dictates of a movement that he founded, which among other things sees itself as the ‘last example/denomination of abstract art,’ a meditative and spiritual art that is meant to have a profound effect on the viewer. His art is spiritual, not religious. Achot Achot’s painted work represents an original form that he repeats indefinitely using different means and media ('supports'). Although visually different, Achot’s photographic work is linked to a concept in his painting which he terms afactum, a name which he gives to all of his artistic creations: painting, photography, video, installation pieces etc… His photographic work takes up the spiritual basis that one finds in his painting, which is the source of his true innovation. His compositions are laden with unconscious and visual references to Armenian culture and to Western art historical traditions. Yet in this new approach to photography he eschews the use of narrative mise-en-scène, and storylines: rather, the work is a meditative, contemplative process. As in painting, each photograph is unique, the result of numerous studies on paper and in-situ research. Achot Achot’s work lies somewhere between abstraction and figuration, two categories that he uses interchangeably, always following however the same ‘mediatative field’ that one finds in his numerous writings.

Shoghakate Kazarian

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2006 Museum of Contemporary Art, Yerevan, Armenia
2006 NPAK, Center of Experimental and Contemporary Art, ACEEA, Yerevan, Armenia 2005 Artcore Gallery, Paris
1999 Atelier Planchat, Paris 1999 TPG Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
1998 La Fleur d’Or Gallery Paris, France 1995 Les Cents Gallery, Paris, France
1988 Panévégis Town Church, Lithuania 1981 National Conservatory of Armenia.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2005 “EGO – INDEPENDENCIA” MAMM, Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellin, Colombia// EGO Performance Art Festival, Manizales, Colombia; EGO Performance Art Festival, Medellin, Colombia
2004 “Healing of Art,” Los-Angeles, USA; EGO International Contemporary Art, Ezanville,France (catalogue); “Abstract Art in Armenia,” Akanat Gallery, Yerevan, Armenia (catalogue)
2003 Dynamism and the Development of Abstract Art in Armenian in the 1980’s and 1990’s, Akanat Gallery, Yerevan, Armenia (catalogue); ”Bunker,” 7th Annual Art Fair and Festival at Park Labrea, Los Angeles, California, “Extra muros,” “Le 148” art space, Alfortville, France (catalogue) “Getting closer,” IFA – Gallery, Bonn, Germany, curated by Mika Hannula (catalogue)// “Getting closer,” IFA –Gallery, Berlin, Grmany, curated by Mika Hannula( (catalogue )// “Bunker,” Don O’Melveny Gallery, Hollywood, C.A , USA//”Homeless Art,” Enisen Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2002 Loisirs et Culture, Ezanville, France 2001 “Bunker,” Los Angeles, USA// “Beyond icons,” National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan/ “Art Bunker in Moscow,” ZDH, Moscow, Russia 2000 “Engrenage extrême,” YVART Gallery, Paris// “Tentation céleste,”/”Celestial Temptation,” Groupe ABRI, Paris// “Bunker,” Los-Angeles, USA
1998 “verbe/expression” Ezanville, France 1997 “Dreams and Visions,” Chicago, USA; “On the way 20 – 21 Antwerp, Belgium (catalogue); “Ouverture, Regards du monde; “Openings, Views of the World” Le Toit de La Grande Arche, Paris; “Estampes contemporaines,” Ezanville, France
1996 “Works from the collection of the TAAK Gallery,” Kiev, Ukraine 1995 “Stream of Fire,” Nicosia, Cyprus (catalogue)
1993 “IDENTIFICATION,” Museum of Modern Art of Yerevan, Armenia_1993 STIL Gallery, Yerevan, Arménie 1992 “9 – Nine,” Museum of Modern Art, Armenia
1991 “Art without Traces,” Festival of Happenings, Eregnadzor, Armenia ”Contemporary Art,” Museum of Modern Art, Armenia, 1990 Détroit, USA// Museum of Modern Art, Yerevan, Armenia
1989 “666,” Yerevan, Armenia// 2nd Happenings Festival, Anikstchaï, Lithuania; “The Avant-Garde from Armenia to Paris, Chapelle de la Salpêtrière, Paris (catalogue)
1988 1er festival de happenings à Anikstchaï, Lituania, Panevegis, Lithuania
1987 “Third Floor,” Yerevan, Armenia.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellin, Colombia;
HAI ART Museum of Contemporary Art, Yerevan, Armenia;
Museum of Contemporary Art of Armenia, Yerevan;
Museum of the City of Panévégis, Lithuania;
Ministry of Culture of Armenia;
Center of Contemporary Art in Giumri; Armenia.