Hrair Diarbekirian, professionally known as Hrair, was born in Beirut in 1946. As a child, he admired the Impressionist paintings of his
neighbor and teacher, French artist Rimbaud, and began painting landscapes and portraits at an early age. In 1959, he enrolled at the Académie
Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA), studying interior architecture while taking painting classes with Henri Fortier. His early work gained
recognition at the Salon d’Automne at the Sursock Museum, and by age 18 he had won awards for both tapestry and painting. The outbreak of
the Lebanese Civil War led him to Europe, where he lived and exhibited in cities including Paris and Athens, earning an international following.
Although Hrair eventually abandoned architecture to focus on painting, his studies continue to inform his compositions, which are marked by
balanced, logical structures filled with repetitive forms, patterns, and figures. His paintings are vibrant and whimsical, creating imaginative
worlds where female figures, horses, birds, and other motifs interact within rhythmic, arabesque-inspired designs. He frequently explores the
balance of masculine and feminine through powerful horses and tender female figures, evoking a dreamlike harmony.
Hrair’s work is also informed by Armenian miniature painting and Byzantine iconography, with a distinctive avoidance of Western linear
perspective, favoring flat, symbolic compositions. His technique often involves thick, spontaneous layers of pigment, sometimes overlaid with
gold leaf, producing vivid, dynamic surfaces. Throughout his career, Hrair has maintained a consistent thematic focus while creating visually
rich, lyrical works that merge fantasy, cultural heritage, and personal expression.He has exhibited widely and his work has been collected by
prestigious patrons, including Queen Elizabeth II of England and King Fahad bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. Hrair currently lives and works in
Beirut, Lebanon.
Training:
2005-2006 : Paris France - Olivier-de-Serres Fine applied At School Option Fresco and mosaic
2003-2004 : Brussells – Belgium EB75 Fine Art Shool of Paintings
2003-2004 : Brussels - Belgium Université libre de Belgique – Philosophy and History fr Art
2003 : Tournai – Belgium Baccelor Art de l’Image à l’Ecole Saint-Luc
