Armen Agop

In 2015, Agop coined the term "Transcontemporary" which is a rejection of the limited concept of Contemporary Art. Contemporary is an ever-changing term, as what is now considered ancient was once contemporary. So, Agop mixes the 'ancient' with the 'contemporary' without obvious references to any time period, creating ultimate works that reject categorization. By widening the time horizon, Agop believes that art can be relevant regardless of geopolitics, fashion or temporary mood. He believes that artworks derived from authentic human instinct are charged with experiences that are not limited to time or geographical boundaries. Therefore an artwork can touch the human aspect in us beyond its temporary condition. An authentic sculpture can cohabit equally in an ancient tomb and in a spacecraft without losing its radiating power. Agop’s work continues to make profound statements that engage the viewer to explore the future, but keep a constant remembrance of the ancient times.

Agop is known for an ascetic approach to his work. In his own words, "Simplicity is very complicated". Agop's work has also often been described as "Contrasting Art" where the contemporary and the ancient meet; his artistic presence springs from his cross-cultural philosophy. "The ancient and the contemporary may seem very different, but I think the essentials are the same", he said in Art Plural: Voices of Contemporary Art (2014).

From 1997-2000 Agop exhibited in diverse shows throughout Egypt and received the Sculpture prize of the Autumn Salon in 1998. In 2000, his national recognition was confirmed when he was awarded the Prix de Rome, the State Prize of Artistic Creativity in Egypt. After staying in Rome the first year on sponsorship, he moved to Pietrasanta, Italy where he continues to live and work today. In 2011 he was awarded the Premio Umberto Mastroianni by the Biennale Internazionale di Scultura Della Regione Piemonte. In 2013, he was awarded the Premio Sulmona, (Presidential Medal of the Italian Republic).

Armen Agop (born in 1969 in Cairo) is a contemporary Egyptian artist who is changing perspectives and pushing the boundaries on contemporary art. He is known for his spiritually charged contemplative works, which were described to reminiscence the harmony, balance and purity of the human soul. Agop engages meditative practices in his processes, prioritizing inwardness and inner monumentality. Soberness, slowness and renouncement of demonstrative abilities, are features that characterize his ascetic approach.