Hovhannes “Jean” Semerdjian

Zhansem (Hovhannes Semerjian) (1920-2013) Zhansem (Hovhannes Semerjian) (1920-2013) In 1920

- was born in the village of Selez (Turkey).

In 1922

- the family moved to Thessaloniki (Greece).

In 1929

- moved to France.

1934-1936

- studied at the free academies of Montparnasse, Sabatier studio (Paris).

In 1938

- graduated from the Higher School of Decorative Arts (Paris).

He was engaged in painting and graphics.

In 1944

- After the exhibition held in the "Hall of Independents", his exhibition activity begins.

Those two paintings on the Armenian theme are currently on display at the Armenian Art Museum in Paris.

In 1951

- won the "Populist" award.

In 1953

- won the "Antral" award, which brought him great recognition.

Since 1954, he has been receiving a National Pension.

In 1955

- The Jansem Museum was opened in the "Ginza" gallery (Tokyo).

In 1956

- was elected president of the Hall of Young Artists.

1958-1959

- In Mexico, the artist was awarded the "Camparezo" and "Brook" awards.

In 1966

- Janesem Museum was opened in "Azumino" gallery (Tokyo).

Since the 1970s, lithography has become the main direction of his work.

In 1982

- An album of Jansem's pictures was published in Paris.

In 2001

- was awarded the title of honorary doctor of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.

Member of RA Academy of Sciences abroad since 2002.

Knight of the Order of "Saint Mesrop Mashtots".

The artist illustrated the works of Cervantes, Baudelaire, Villon, Bazen, Camus, Lorca and others.

Jansem's individual exhibitions number several dozen.

They were held in Paris, New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, Rome, Brussels, Beirut, Yerevan and elsewhere.

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the artist donated a whole series of paintings to the Genocide Museum-Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, and currently the museum has a permanent exhibition of Zhansem's painting series "Genocide".

The works are located in the Museum of Modern Art (Yerevan), the National Gallery of Armenia (Yerevan), the Genocide Museum (Yerevan) and many other galleries and private collections of different countries.

2013 died in Saint Enyan (France).

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