Armenian Women’s Group Tours Art Exhibit with Joan Quinn

GLENDALE—Members of the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) joined Southern California support group of the National Museum of the Women in the Arts in DC at a special talk and tour with AIWA member Joan Agajanian Quinn at an exhibition “Joan Quinn Captured.”

Much is said and written about art that celebrates the many styles and mediums of art, but nothing comes close to contemporary art being shown through perhaps the largest collection of portraits, sculpting, drawings and photographs of one person, Joan Agajanian Quinn. From the 1970s, the Quinn’s Los Angeles home base has been a gathering place for artists and intellectuals. In this milieu, the artists were drawn to showcase their individual styles and expressions in portraying the essence of Joan Quinn.

The month long art exhibition “Joan Quinn Captured” at the Brand Library and Arts Center in Glendale showcased a large portrait collection by contemporary artists in the world, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Shepard Fairey, Frank Gehry, Robert Graham, David Hockney, Ed Ruscha, Beatrice Wood and photographers Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton, Matthew Rolston and Arthur Tress and Ned Evans. In addition to the portraits, there were a number of non-portrait works by selected artists including Jon Krawaczk, sculptor; and Chaz Guest, painter and sculptor.

“What captured me most about Joan was her placid calm,” said artist Chaz Guest, who was present at the exhibit. “She exuded confidence. It was warm and comforting.”

“One couldn’t ignore her collection of wrist watches, jewelry and her hair,” said artist Ned Evans who captured the warmth and energy that surrounded Joan. “Joan (and her husband Jack) had a flair for the arts and artists naturally navigated toward them.”
“She stands firm, she is solid, and yet she is energy,” said sculptor Jon Krawaczk, as he stood in front of the sculpting of geometric shapes that embodied the image of Joan Quinn with forceful grace.

The art being shown celebrated Joan’s life and also highlighted various styles used in contemporary art. The portraits on display were selected from a collection of over 300 and were shown alongside other artworks on loan from galleries, foundations and the Quinn family.

Joan Agajanian Quinn, a longtime member of AIWA, serves as Board Liaison and United Nations representative for AIWA. Among her many achievements, Ms. Quinn has produced and hosted cable television talks on arts and entertainment; she has appeared nationally on E!, “Hard Copy,” and A&E. She served on the California Arts Council and the Beverly Hills Architectural Commission and served on the board of the Hollywood Women’s Press Club.

The Armenian International Women’s Association brings together Armenian women of all lifestyles who are unified in their diversity. Various activities of AIWA are being planned particularly the forthcoming Seventh International Conference to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, October 9-12, 2014 – Armenian Women In Action – Building Communities across the Globe. Previous international conferences have brought together a cross-section of Armenian (and non-Armenian) women from the United States, Armenia, South America, the Middle East and Europe. “We are working closely with our conference co-chairs in Boston and in Armenia to bring together women from diverse fields and backgrounds to share the richness of our inherited legacy and our learned professions,” said Silva Katchiguian, president of AIWA-LA. For info and registration contact: www.aiwainternational.org

For additional information on all AIWA activities, please contact the AIWA website: aiwala.org.