Garo Margossian was born in the birthplace of art, philosophy and democracy, in 1940 Athens, Greece.

Garo was already a promising young artist at the age of twenty-three, and his eyes were filled with the splendor of antique art, when he emigrated to Canada.

He set up his studio in Montreal, working of necessity and living to paint, and not painting to live. Concurrently pursued his studies in visual arts at Sir George Williams University.

His curiosity in the currents of American painting and the desire to continue his studies led him to Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. On completion of his art courses succesfully, two years later Garo returned to Montreal. He took up studies at the Concordia University, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Art History and Studio Art.

By a close study of the merits of the old masters and the “moderns”, Garo gained confidence and mastery of the techniques of painting and drawing. Avoiding any preconcieved system and without prejudice, he continued painting from a thorough knowledge of tradition, the reasoned, and free sense of his own artistic individuality, arriving at his own distinctive style.

Since his graduation, he travelled extensively on the continent and has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in Montreal, Toronto, Athens, Paris and Marseilles, attracting the art critics and the spectators.

Garo dealt with illimitable experience in his trade, working as illustrator, freelance art critic and political cartoonist in “Horizin” and “Photographos” newspapers.

In 1990, he was invited by the Cultural Ministry of the (newly independent) republic of Armenia to participate in the symposium given in honor of the great Armenian painter Aivazovsky, which was held in Kremea (Ukraine) and Armenia.

The “Armenia” Series, monumental works in their own right, represent Garo’s views on social, political and religious issues. Executed with much sensibility and devotion to his Armenian heritage. But, most importantly in his treatment of “The Massacre 1915”, “Garapagh”, “Blasphemy” details become softened ad he takes on the challenge of capturing the essence of human sensations, expressing his inner voice and spirit, which also belong to his people.

Even though Garo lived under various cultural influences, but a certain “aroma” of his birthplace clings to his watercolors. Garo is a master of light and color, which he inherits from his mediterranean background. His landscapes, still lives, portraitures and streetscapes take life when this brightness penetrates through the petals of the roses or through the curtain of a window. Thus, creating a bold yet sensitive and elusive works of art.

Garo’s Monotype prints, described also as a method of painting, have inimitable charm. The impression can be made only once, thus each print or painting is inevitably unique.

From the most secret recess of his being, Garo has drawn profound statements through this medium, which escapes all human limits, thus breaking the barriers and entering the regions of his powerful vision. Ridding art of all that it has contained of recognizable material to date; all traditional ideas, all popular symbols have been banished.

The revelations we receive, the conception of an image, which embraces the ghostly and metaphysical abstraction of life, not apparent within its outline. The objects and figures represented in it, poetically tell us of something that is far away from them and also of what their shapes materially hide from us.

Garo is distinguished by the ability to translate the intangible themes of human nature into visible art. These art works, evoke such agony or joy, undoubtedly leaving the deepest impression on our visual memory.

Garo presently resides in Montreal, completely dedicated to his art work.    He is a member of The Armenian Artists’ Union of Armenia and The Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece.

EDUCATION

1988-93        Concordia University - Printmaking - Montreal

1990           Hotel Plaza de la Chaudière " HERITAGE "

                   (to commemorate the Armenian genocide) Hull