Tuesday, September 3 2024 15:31

ArmInfo. One of the paintings by the outstanding and world- famous American writer and  playwright of Armenian origin William Saroyan was presented at the US  Embassy in Armenia.  

It is worth noting that in addition to literature, Saroyan was also involved in painting for a certain  period of his life. His works are attributed to the "Abstract  Expressionism" movement. According to stories from the sculptor Varaz  Samuelian, who is from Fresno (W. Saroyan's birthplace), the writer  began painting in the 1950s. When his Paris apartment was inventoried  in 1982, the sculptor counted about 700 paintings, as well as  hundreds of drawings that were made on the flyleaf of books in his  personal library.

The event at the American embassy was attended by the US Ambassador  to Armenia Christina Quinn, the Minister of Education, Science,  Culture and Sports of Armenia Zhanna Andreasyan, and the Chairman of  the William Saroyan Foundation Scott Sedrakian, who arrived in  Armenia to commemorate the writer's 116th anniversary at the  invitation of the Director of the Institute of Art of the National  Academy of Sciences of Armenia Anna Asatryan. Following the meeting  at the National Academy of Sciences, Sedrakian presented the  Institute with one of Saroyan's abstract paintings from 1964.   According to the U.S. Embassy,  together, artists, composers, leaders  from government, academia and civil society honored the legacy of the  world-renowned Armenian American writer and artist, as well as the  ongoing efforts of the Saroyan Foundation to preserve and promote  William Saroyan's contributions to both American and Armenian  culture.