Тарон
Аликович Гарибян

Garibyan Taron (Taron) (1940-2001) -a representative of the new Russian avant-garde of the 1970s. He lived in Moscow all his life, but had strong spiritual links with Armenia. Taron became interested in art from a very early age, but he never got any formal art education. His only arts teacher was Vassily Sitnikoff, a well-known non-conformist artist. As a member of the underground art-poetical movement “SMOG” Taron took part in “flat exhibitions”in Moscow and non-conformist exhibitions abroad (Czech Republik, Switzerland) in the mid 1970s. From 1974 Taron was a member of the Committee of Graphic Artists and until 1986 took part in most exhibitions of the Committee. Personal Taron’s exhibitions took place in1993 (the House of Scientists, Chernogolovka, Moscow oblast) and in 1995 (“Stalker” human rights festival at the Central House of Cinematography, Moscow).
In the same period a film about Taron’s creative work and life was shoot and shown on TV. In 1990-2000 Taron took part in some joint exhibitions (the all-Russia Exhibition Centre - VDNH, Moscow, 1993; art gallery “Les Oreades”, CHA, Moscow, 2001). Taron combined painting with writing poetry. Many of his pictures were provided with poetic commentaries. Poetic vision and dramatic perception of life were typical for his works. The artist tragically lost his life in 2001. His works are in the museum “Different art” (Drugoye iskustvo) in the Russian State Humanities University (RGGU, Moscow) and in private collections in Russia and abroad.