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Marco Grigorian, an Iranian-Armenian artist, painter, teacher, and collector, is considered one of the pioneers of modernist painting in Iran. He was born in 1925 in Kropotkin, Russia, and his childhood and adolescence, marked by frequent migrations and challenging life experiences—from Tabriz to Isfahan and Tehran—familiarized him with themes of displacement and exile. Grigorian began his artistic education at Alborz College and the Kamal-ol-Molk School of Art, and later continued at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome under Roberto Melli. He adopted Expressionism as his artistic style and made the human figure the central focus of his works. Upon returning to Iran, Grigorian founded the Esthetic Gallery and significantly contributed to the promotion of Iranian modernist art. His earthy and assemblage works blend Eastern concepts with Western modern techniques, intertwining geometry, earth, material, meaning, and collective memory. Grigorian participated in numerous international exhibitions and biennials, including Venice and New York, and his works are preserved in prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Through his teaching activities and the establishment of the Independent Painters and Sculptors Group, Grigorian nurtured a new generation of modernist Iranian artists and became recognized as a leading figure in Iranian modernism and an avant-garde artist. Marco Grigorian passed away in 2007 in Armenia.
1319 Relocated to Tehran at the age of
1320–1327 Studied at Alborz College and Kamal-ol-Molk School of Art
1329 Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Rome
1333 Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Rome
Exhibitions and Artistic Activities in Europe
1330 Solo exhibition, Fiorani Gallery, Rome
1331 Anit Award, Cultural Olympiad for Youth, Rome
1331 Group exhibition, "International Art Exhibition," National Tourism Center, Rome
1332 First place in painting and graphics, National Exhibition of Colleges, Milan
1332 Group exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome
1332 Solo exhibition, Raymond Duncan Gallery, Paris
1332 Solo exhibition, Gallery No. 2 Pincho, Rome
1334 Returned to Rome
1335 Group exhibition, "Jury Selection," Venice
1335 Group exhibition, Museum of Modern Art Ca' Pesaro, Venice
Activities in Iran
1333 Returned to Iran and opened Esthetic Gallery, Tehran
1333 Solo exhibition, Iran-America Association, Tehran
1349 Returned to Tehran and started teaching at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tehran
1350 Solo exhibition, Iran-America Association, Tehran
1353 Founded the Independent Painters and Sculptors Group, Tehran
1353 Group exhibition, "Blue Works," Independent Artists Group, Tehran
1354 Group exhibition, "Sound and Environment," Iran-America Association
1354 Solo exhibition, Lito Gallery, Tehran
1356 Solo exhibition, Saman Gallery, Tehran
1403 Solo exhibition, "A Review of the Life and Works of Marco Grigorian," Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
1403 Group exhibition, "Four Pens, Four Horizons from Freedom to Individuality," Mah Gallery, Tehran
1395 Solo exhibition, "Earthly Works," Plus 2, Tehran
1402 Group exhibition, "Selected Contemporary Artists," Art Center, Tehran
Activities and Exhibitions in the USA
1341 Relocated to the USA and began a new phase of artistic activity
1342 Group exhibition, "Invitation 1963," Walker Art Center, Minnesota
1343 Group exhibition, "Earth Art," Jason Gallery, New York
1345 Group exhibition, "Recent Achievements 1966," Museum of Modern Art, New York
1349 Won silver medal at the International Exhibition, New York
1359 Returned to New York
1359 Founded Arshile Gorky Gallery, New York
1360 Solo exhibition, Gorky Gallery, New York
1364 Solo exhibition, Gorky Gallery, New York
1390 Solo exhibition, "Earth Works," Leila Heller Gallery, New York
1402 Group exhibition, "Storyteller," Leila Heller Gallery, New York
1403 Group exhibition, "World Builders: The Artist as Architect," Leila Heller Gallery, New York
Activities and Exhibitions in Armenia and Other Countries
1368 Relocated to Armenia
1368 Trip to Russia, visited Moscow and Leningrad
1368–1369 Solo exhibitions in Moscow and Leningrad
1370 Solo exhibition, "Earth Art," Yerevan
1372 Founded the Middle East Museum, Yerevan
1373 Group exhibition, "Past and Present of Armenia," Bochum Museum, Germany
1378 Group exhibition, "Fire Flood," Nicosia, Cyprus and Oman
1379 Participated in Gyumri Biennale (Armenia) and Georgia exhibition
1379 Group exhibition, "Continental Changes," Ludwig Association, Aachen
1379 Solo exhibition, "Earth Artworks," Old Gallery, Tbilisi
1380 Solo exhibition, "Armenian Rugs," Near East Museum, Yerevan
1380 Group exhibition, "Contemporary Iranian Art," Barbican Center, London
1380 Group exhibition, "Contemporary Armenian Art," National Gallery of Armenia
1380 Group exhibition, Grey Art Gallery, New York University
1381 Group exhibition, "Between Word and Image: Modern Visual Culture of Iran"
1381 Created a set of 12 paintings 6 by 10 feet at Auschwitz Gate
1382 Exhibition, Grey Gallery, New York
1383 Solo exhibition, "A Review of 50 Years of the Artist's Works," National Art Museum, Yerevan
1385 Group exhibition, "Layered Lives: Identity of Armenians in Iran," Brunei Gallery, London
Film and Acting
1340 "Desert Wolf," directed by Saeed Niwandi
1341 "The Key," directed by Mahmoud Nozari
1341 "The Last Passage," directed by Khosrow Parvizi
1341 "White Gold," directed by Jamshid Shibani
1345 "Big City," directed by Robert Eckhardt
1351 "Man in the Storm," directed by Khosrow Parvizi
1355 "Professional," directed by Ghodratollah Bozorgi
Museums and Gallery Foundations
1372 Founded the Middle East Museum, Yerevan
1359 Founded Arshile Gorky Gallery, New York
Death
1386 Passed away in Yerevan, Armenia
Contemporary Exhibitions and Art Fairs
1395 Solo exhibition, "Earthly Works," Plus 2, Tehran
1398 Art Fair Abu Dhabi, Leila Heller Gallery
1400 Art Fair Art Dubai, Leila Heller Gallery
1401 Solo exhibition, Sahar Blouki Gallery, Toronto
1402 Art Fair Art Dubai, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai
1402 Group exhibition, "Selected Contemporary Artists," Art Center, Tehran
1403 Group exhibition, "World Builders: The Artist as Architect," Leila Heller Gallery, New York
1403 Group exhibition, "Four Pens, Four Horizons from Freedom to Individuality," Mah Gallery, Tehran
1404 Group exhibition, "Iran in Posters," Nicolas Flamel Gallery, Paris
