Zaven Khedeshian
Zaven Khedeshian as born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1932. He received his education at the Academy of Beaux-Arts in Beirut from 1949-1952, and at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs de Paris in 1952-1958, from which he graduated. From 1954-1956 he studied portraits with Marcel Gimond and in 1956-1958 he studied monumental and architectural sculpture with Alfred Janniot. Zaven Khedeshian organized numerous exhibitions in Lebanon and other countries. He is the holder of many awards, such as the first award in photography for “The forest of Vincent” (1954,) the first prize of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris (1955,) first prize of the Strand Center (1965,) second prize by the “L’orient” Daily (1965,) first prize for a sculpture at the Sursok Museum (1973,) and a scholarship for the curricular years 1954-1955 awarded within the spheres of a contest by the RL Ministry of Education. Among his famous works are the Monument dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in Bikfayya (Lebanon,) the sculpture of Saint Sharbel in Aanaya (Lebanon,) the bust of Karekin Njteh (Boston,) the bust of Catholicos Zareh I (Aleppo,) the bust of Shavarsh Missakian in Ainjar (Lebanon,) the bust of Simon Vratsian in Djemaran (Beirut,) the bust of Jebran Khalil Jebran at the park named after the writer (Lebanon,) a monument dedicated to Henri Faraon (Beirut,) a monument titled “Protection” at the Square in Bourj Hammoud, a monument titled “Outbreak” in Mtein (Lebanon,) a monument titled “The prayer” in Byblos (Lebanon.) In 2010 he was honored by the Medal of Hamazkayin and in 2012 he received the honor of St. Mesrob Mashdots by Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cicilia. Zaven Khedeshian is the author of a film in French dedicated to the Armenian Genocide.