Born in 1967 in Artik, Armenia, Gagik Darbinyan is a visual artist primarily working in the medium of painting. Thematic interests central to his work arose at a young age, as he was inspired by the historic statues and churches he visited throughout Armenia. He was fascinated by the way in which these ancient structures seamlessly intertwined with the surrounding natural landscape. As he put it, “I saw one as a reflection of the other, and the play on this concept is used to create the subject matter in many of my early paintings. It also influences the applied techniques, as the different materials utilized shape and mirror the textures that are created on the canvas.”

At age ten, he was enrolled in Artik’s Art Center and began developing the fundamental skills in drawing, painting and sculpting. He continued his education and pursued the application of art within architecture, by completing his Bachelor of Architecture from Yerevan Institute of Architecture and Construction in 1991. Along with his architectural practice, Gagik devoted many years in the studio cultivating his distinct painting style and techniques. Experimentation with different art materials, and producing unique textures, influence the creative direction of many of his paintings. This search for new methods, and the fluidity of how they evolve with his artwork, is a source of great motivation in his artistic pursuits.

After several exhibitions in the 1990s, primarily in Armenia, he permanently moved to the United States in 2002. Currently Gagik lives and works in Los Angeles and has exhibited his work in several solo art shows. His work can be found in various private collections in France, Russia, USA, Armenia, and Syria.