Erevan Dream 2015

Cricorps painted ‘Erevan Dream’ in oil on canvas, and the artwork presents a modern-day saint, a man in a halo, holding a cat. The iconography blends religious and secular imagery, with a woman above, also in a halo, and an airplane in the distance, possibly symbolizing travel and longing. The steeple on the right suggests a church, while the buildings on the left may refer to the city of Erevan, Armenia. Considering the artist’s Armenian background, the painting may be about the Armenian diaspora, the many people spread around the world due to displacement in the 20th century. The halos and direct gaze evoke religious icons, but the presence of the airplane and urban scene root the painting in contemporary life. The strong colors and simplified forms add to the emotional intensity of the work. To understand this piece better, one could research the history of Armenian migration and the role of religious imagery in maintaining cultural identity. Art is a cultural product, shaped by history, institutions, and personal experience.