Most of Varoujan's art is metaphorical. The images work on many levels from pleasing, rhythmical compositions to symbolic interpretations. In one canvas, from a recent series titled Hugs and Kisses, which was part of a June exhibition at the Seaport Hotel in Boston, he shows a couple embracing, their bodies blending to form an intimate whole. Painted in muted tones, the subtle shadings and curving lines create a heart shape that reiterates the theme. "The embrace is a gentle touch," says the artist, "the man's arm wrapping the woman in a sense of security." Varoujan is concerned with picturing the "connections of life," the "communion of two people.: This is a spiritual rather than a sensual painting, he says.
In another work from the same series, we see a man and a woman kissing as they appear to dance; the curvilinear shapes and shadings swirling around and through them create a circular rhythm that gives kinetic energy to the piece.
Varoujan was first inspired by the Romantic artist, Eugene delacroix. He then turned to Rembrandt and later Dali. His references are many and the synthesis of their influence has, as with many great artists, created a new vision.
The curvilinear quality and stylized poses are reminiscent of Art Nouveau. The occasional dark outlines remind us of Gauguin, while the division of colors is more like Paul Klee. The inclusion of musical instruments and villages recall Chagall. The theme of the kiss and the vibrancy of colored patterns suggest Klimt. The broken facades, and distorted perspectives resemble cubist paintings. The compositions are often a combination of the medieval and the surreal. The technique may be traditional, but the result is a wholly unique style.
Varoujan begins all his paintings by covering the canvas in a light tone of umber, as the Renaissance artists did. He then adds the darker tone of burnt umber to sketch in the figures, lines and shapes and to separate the lights and darks. From here the painting evolves. If he likes the way the lines and shapes intersect, he may leave it in an abstracted form. Otherwise, he continues to paint in elements of realism and design.
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