Arbe

Growing up in Soviet Armenia as the son of a well-known artist and professor, Arbe (Ara Berberyan) held his first exhibition at just twelve years old. In 1970, his paintings toured internationally for two years as part of “The World by Children’s Eyes,” visiting France, Italy, Canada, and the United States. Of the sixty-five paintings sent, only four returned to Armenia, while the rest were sold or placed in state buildings throughout the Soviet Union.
After earning his Masters degree from the University of Art and Design in Yerevan, Armenia in 1981, Arbe began accepting government commissions for murals at the Yerevan Airport, theatres, hotels, and other projects. At his architectural office, Gostproect, he designed facades of public buildings, incorporating elements from his favorite artist, Klimt, especially gold ornamentation and marbleized patterns. He also worked on private commissions, painting classical portraits, landscapes, cubism, surrealism, murals, and signs.
Arbe’s subjects center on the beauty surrounding him—instruments like violins and guitars, women, and romantic themes involving love and music. He paints in oil with metallic textures and occasionally gold leaf, filling his canvases with earth tones and enticing patterns. In 1984, Arbe immigrated to Los Angeles, where he met and married his wife Nazik and raised two children. He is represented by Park West Gallery.