BOSTON, Mass.—From Aug. 31 to Sept. 11, the “Colors of Liberty” exhibit by artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian will be open to the public at the Massachusetts State House, Doric Hall. The public is invited to join Hejinian, State Representative Peter Koutoujian, and other dignitaries on Sept. 11 from 12-2 p.m., when Hejinian will officially unveil a painting dedicated to the victims of September 11th.
Hejinian was inspired to create Colors of Liberty amidst hundreds of people pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States, the final ceremony in becoming a U.S. citizen. “There were people of all colors, from all corners of the world, from different ethnic groups, cultures, religions, speaking different languages, and yet together as one, with one common goal, to be American,” he says. “This is where I saw the real face of America… That intense desire was renewed in me during the 2008 presidential inauguration marking a new beginning in our history as a people and a nation.”
Hejinian came to the United States in 1979 seeking freedom of expression as an artist. He settled in the Boston area and raised a family. The United States, he says, is where his father, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, came to die, where his son was born, where he has let his imagination soar. Here, Hejinian created an impressive body of beautiful and meaningful art work, from Romantic Expressionist paintings, to corporate and religious murals in seven Armenian churches. Here, he planted the seeds of a new beginning and a different future. Hejinian chose to be an American citizen by naturalization.
Although the Colors of Liberty exhibit reflects the artist’s vision, we find ourselves and our ancestors—and the hopes and dreams of generations—in Hejinian’s images. In this collection, Hejinian expresses his love for America. “The American flag is the most beautiful of all flags with an ingenious and modern design,” he says. “When the red and white stripes wave in the wind, I feel its beat as I feel the beat of my heart. The bright stars on the midnight blue are the guiding light to the promise land.”
Colors of Liberty is a Peace of Art project sponsored by Koutoujian. To see the collection, visit www.ColorsofLiberty.com
Hejinian is the founder of Peace of Art, Inc., a non-profit educational organization that uses the universal language of art to bring awareness to the human condition and to promote peaceful solutions to conflict. For more information, visit www.peaceofart.org.
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