From July 11 to 14, the Pyunik Development Center at 3/1 Buzand Street hosted Return, the first solo exhibition in Armenia by abstract artist Arpine Shahnazaryan, also known as Arpine Shahnas. The exhibition’s title reflects both the artist’s return to her homeland and her creative reintroduction to Armenia’s art community.
Shahnazaryan was born in 1982 and has lived in Germany for the past 32 years, where her artistic journey began at an early age. She studied in Liverpool, specializing in international business, Arabic and Spanish, before pursuing legal studies in business. Today, she works at Germany’s Ministry of the Interior and teaches the digitization of legal acts.
“When I was little in Armenia, I attended the Sargis Aslamazyan Music School, taking violin and piano lessons. I can say that my love for art began in childhood. I started painting professionally 15 years ago. This exhibition features 20 works I created over the past four and a half years. I am very happy to finally have my first solo exhibition in Armenia,” Shahnazaryan told the Weekly.
She has previously participated in more than 10 international exhibitions in Germany, Brussels and Barcelona. Her works have been commissioned from the United States, England and Germany.
“One of my paintings that many people liked contained a fragment from one of Yeghishe Charents’ sonnets. After that work, I received several orders for the same piece. I always try to convey the breadth of my Armenian roots in my creations,” she said.
“Emerald”: 40 cm x 120 cm, acrylic with mixed media; “Starry Night”: 50 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media “Garegin Nzhdeh”: 80 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media
Shahnazaryan’s family has deep ties to different regions of Armenia and Artsakh—her mother is from Lori, her father is from Shamkhor. The artist’s love for Armenian culture also comes from her lineage. Among her ancestors were Melik Shahnasaryan—one of the Armenian princely families who ruled in Artsakh—and other notable figures. Their home was always filled with patriotic gatherings, books and classical music.
“One day, after reading Akel Bakunts’ The Alpine Violet, I was so inspired that I painted a work with the same title,” she stated.
“Three months ago, I painted Garegin Nzhdeh, a piece that became very dear to me. I feel proud when people in Germany ask about it and I say that Nzhdeh is one of our national heroes.”
The artist in her element
She explained that the painting conveys the idea of a people and a family.
“Next to Nzhdeh’s portrait, I depicted a fragmented map of Armenia. This was not intentional at first, but later, I realized it looked like bread from which everyone takes a piece, thus shrinking our homeland’s borders.”
Shahnazaryan continues to experiment with new ideas and mediums. Her most recent large-format painting (90 by 90 centimeters) was selected for Germany’s “Pink October” event, dedicated to breast cancer prevention. For the program, she will create a series of works in magenta and pink tones. Another exhibition is planned in September at a castle near Mönchengladbach, Germany.
In Yerevan, alongside the Nzhdeh portrait, Shahnazaryan highlighted two red-toned works: Shades of Love and Inner War.
“New Beginning”: 100 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media; “King of Kings”: 100 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media “Silent Explosion”: 80 cm x 120 cm, mixed media with 18-carat gold; “Golden Silence”: 80 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media
“Love includes both disappointment and passion, as well as quarrels,” she explained. “My paintings reflect a period in my life when everything changed, and I experienced an inner struggle, which is depicted in the other featured piece. I believe that problems should be addressed starting with ourselves, not by blaming the other person—after all, every situation has its solution.”
Shahnazaryan has also transformed two of her favorite paintings—Shades of Love and Emerald—into delicate, colorful scarves, now part of many art lovers’ wardrobes.
“I am constantly seeking the flow of innovation and creative freshness in my art. The idea for the scarves was born from that very desire: they can become not only a charming scarf, but also a unique top, a cape or even a luxurious accessory to complete one’s look,” she relayed, with a smile.
The artist’s abstract works are dominated by blended colors.
“Blue, in my work, represents hope and faith, which fight against the red—the inner contradictions. Everyone has their light and dark sides, and one must get rid of the lines that hinder progress.”
“Inner Battle”: 80 cm x 120 cm, acrylic with mixed media; “Globe”: 90 cm x 120 cm, acrylic with mixed media, with 18-carat gold; “Voices of the Depth”: 50 cm x 100 cm, acrylic with mixed media “Dream”: 60 cm x 70 cm, oil with mixed media; “Alpine Violet”: 80 cm x 60 cm, oil with mixed media; “Hidden Emotions”: 90 cm x 120 cm, acrylic with mixed media
“I am the kind of person who always tries to improve and face life’s challenges without fear,” she concluded.
Shahnazaryan’s Return was not only an artistic journey into the world of color and emotion but also a cultural bridge from Germany to Armenia, expressed in the universal language of art. Her works remind us that no matter the distance, roots and memories always find their way back home.
This fall, Shahnazaryan’s art will be on display in Mönchengladbach at Schloss Wickrath from September 29–30, 2025 and Galerie Minto from October 12–25, 2025. Follow her artistic journey on Instagram: @arpine_shahnas_art.
All photos courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.
Anzhela Sedrakyan is a freelance journalist based in Yerevan. She is a student in the journalism department at Khachatur Abovian Yerevan State University of Pedagogy. She has published articles in Yerkir.am, Aravot.am and Azg.am. She enjoys writing human interest stories as well as articles on social issues, national and cultural topics.
