Moushegh Karavartanian
(Lebanon)
"Balance," Acrylic on canvas, 135 x 95 cm
Moushegh Karavartanian (Karamoush) is a Lebanese Armenian visual artist, born in Beirut in 1992. His work focuses on canvas paintings using acrylic and oil paint. He has created many murals of various sizes as commissions as well as volunteer work, and participated in several local and international collective exhibitions including Heritage of Emotions at Gallerie Nikki Diana Marquardt in Paris, France in 2016, Mashrou’ PROLETKULT at AUB Byblos Bank Gallery in Beirut, Lebanon in 2016, “Provoking the Aesthetic Experience In the Quotidian” at Sole Insight in Beirut, Lebanon in 2016 and 2017, Protect ARTsakh charity art auction at artscoops.com in 2020, NEXUS online art exhibition at Bloomgallery.es, Bloom Gallery in Valencia, Spain in collaboration with Arneli Art Gallery, Beirut and Love and Love Factory, Valencia, in 2021, The Human Condition at Rebirth Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon in 2023, International Art Exchange at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan in collaboration with JAALA and Arneli Art Gallery, in 2023, Figuration virtual 3D exhibition at Omnibus Gallery in Dresden, Germany in 2024, Strange Figures online collective exhibition at Lumen Art Gallery, in Aydin, Turkey in 2025, What’s New online collective exhibition at Clover Gallery, in EU in 2026, and In a World of Color online collective exhibition at CEV Art Gallery, in Phoenix, AZ, USA in 2026.
Moushegh holds an MA (2021) and BA (2015) in Fine Arts from Lebanese University, Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture. He attended a private workshop at “Atelier d’art” for over 5 years as a teenager. Moushegh Karavartanian lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon. Moushegh Karavartanian finds the visionary works of classical masters of the Renaissance and Baroque Era, as well as the subtle sensitivity of Expressionism and Symbolism, as major influences of his artistic style, mannerism, and subject matter.
He is constantly fascinated by the coded language and symbolism used in art and painting to communicate complex concepts, ideologies, emotions, and mythologies. He believes that the divine speaks to us in metaphors, and as such, he finds refuge in expressing his own understanding and experiences of the divine through symbolism.
Although the subject matter of his works does not abide by either reality or the laws of physics, his style in rendering is nevertheless grounded in realistic figuration, much like the surrealists and visionary artists of the past. The artist initiates his artistic endeavors with an instinctive urge to express intricate spiritual subjects with their underlying concepts and emotions codified in terms of his perception and understanding of reality and by layering his work with realistic depictions of the perceived protagonists and surreal mythical atmospheres to render it more comprehensible. He generally does not restrict his palette to a specific range of colors, as life is limitless, and art is an immaculate reflection of life through an individualized lens. His works are evidences of cathartic experimentation.
"Abou Ali," Acrylic on canvas, 80x100 cm
🎤Where do you draw inspiration from for your work? Where do you find your ideas? Please tell us about your creative process🎤
"I draw inspiration mainly from life itself. I use my surroundings, my culture and heritage, my society as a means to reflect on myself. I also try to follow in the footsteps of grand masters of painting such as Caravaggio, Lucian Freud, Paul Gauguin, etc."
"Renunciation," Acrylic on canvas, 50x70 cm
🎤What has been your biggest challenge working as a professional artist? Could you share some of your struggles, and how they made you stronger as a person?🎤
"My initial struggle was acquiring a space to work freely on my paintings, as I used to work from my room at home. Now, I have a studio where I work on my artworks and teach art as well to students. I also had difficulty maintaining a stable income as a full-time artist. However, I managed to find a few patrons/collectors who constantly and consistently commission artworks. I am also a part time art teacher in several institutions."
"Who Am I," Acrylic on canvas. 50x70 cm
🎤What does making art give you that nothing else does?🎤
"For me, art making is a deeply meditative and spiritual practice. I feel complete once I create an artwork, as painting is a means to reach self-realization in my opinion."
"Grandmother," Acrylic on canvas, 80x100 cm
🎤How do you know when a piece is finished?🎤
"I struggled for a long time to identify the right moment to stop working on a piece. I finally understood that I can only decide when it is finished; it is an intuitive feeling more than a rational decision. An artwork is a living piece for me, and I have to approach it with care, and perseverance."
"666," Pen on paper, 21 x 29.7 cm
🎤Do you start with a clear vision when you work, or does the piece evolve as you begin to create?🎤
"I set out on my artistic journey with a theme and general subject in mind, and tend to develop and refine my work visually and thematically as I create."
"2222," Pen on paper, 21 x 29.7 cm