Garnik Der Hacopian (b. 1944) is a distinguished Iranian-Armenian artist and architect. He has been professionally active for over six decades. Emerging in the mid-1960s amid the vibrant and pioneering vanguard of Iran's modern art movement, Der Hacopian carved out a distinct artistic path from the outset through a rigorous, tactile approach to media.
Der Hacopian's practice is grounded in the material, temporal, and spatial dynamics of transformation.
Working at the intersection of fine art and architectural logic, Der Hacopian approaches the painting not merely as a surface for representation, but as a physical site of structural evolution. By employing industrial materials such as cement, wood, aluminum, and heavy textiles, he gives weight and tangible form to transient psychological and cultural states, creating works with dynamic pictorial fields.
Der Hacopian's visual vocabulary is deeply informed by his extensive travels and studies across Iran's varied regional landscapes, historic villages, and cities. His research across South Asia and Europe has enriched his practice, allowing his work to seamlessly bridge regional heritage with the discourse of modernist art. His oeuvre examines the intersection of historical memory, geographical environment, form, and structural logic. For the artist, creation is an active response to time: an ongoing negotiation between permanent structures and shifting perceptions, where every line, layer, and material choice reflects the inevitable process of renewal.
Reflecting on his themes and artistic trajectory, he states: "We emerge from a specific moment in time, yet the world around us inevitably ages, compelled toward renewal in an endless cycle. Time and change share an unbreakable, intangible bond. Change remains in constant motion; evolving continuously, just as I evolve within my own practice. The work I create is my direct expression of that ongoing transformation."
Throughout his prolific career, Der Hacopian's works have been presented in numerous international exhibitions across galleries and museums, and are held in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA), Pasargad Bank Museum of Contemporary Visual Arts, and Karafarin Bank Collection. He lives and works in Tehran, where he continues his dual practice in architecture and painting.
"Corners" brings together a selection of Garnik Der Hacopian's works from 2003 to 2006. These still lifes serve as striking examples of the artist's diversity in technique, composition, and color palette. By exhibiting these works together, "Corners" seeks to explore Der Hacopian's visual world and vocabulary, navigating the axes of his spatial configurations. The exhibition will be on view from August 21 to September 11, 2026, at +2 [Sam Center].