R. Toros facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R. Toros
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| Born |
Toros Rasguélénian
12 December 1934 Aleppo, French Syria
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| Died | 29 July 2020 (aged 85) Romans-sur-Isère, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Sculptor |
Toros Rasguélénian (born December 12, 1934 – died July 29, 2020), known to many as R. Toros, was a talented French artist. He was famous for creating sculptures, which are artworks made by shaping materials like metal or stone.
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About R. Toros
Toros was born in Syria into an Armenian family. He left school when he was 11 years old. After that, he worked in different jobs. He was a welder, a locksmith, and a blacksmith. These jobs taught him a lot about working with metal.
By the time he was 25, Toros had his own business. He worked with iron. One day, a church architect asked him to make a cross. This cross was for the steeple of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Surp Kevork in Aleppo.
How He Became a Sculptor
Toros took a trip to Armenia. There, he saw a famous statue called David of Sassoun. Seeing this amazing artwork changed everything for him. He felt a strong urge to create art himself.
He went back to Aleppo and started sculpting. He began making art from metal. He created beautiful fountains and other sculptures. After showing his work in several art shows, he won his first award in 1966. This was for his sculpture called L’Émancipation de la femme arabe.
Moving to France
In 1967, Toros moved to France. He wanted to study art there. He met many other artists and sculptors. They told him he didn't need to go to art schools. Instead, they encouraged him to use his own experiences to guide his art.
He settled in Valence, and later in Romans-sur-Isère. Both cities are in the Drôme region of France. Many Armenian people lived there at that time.
Monuments for Remembrance
Toros created many monuments to remember the victims of the Armenian genocide. This was a very sad event where many Armenian people lost their lives. Toros's own uncle was a victim.
You can find these special monuments in several French cities. Some are in Valence, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Saint-Étienne. He also created an award called the Trophée Toros. This award was given each year for the best French-Armenian literature.
R. Toros passed away on July 29, 2020, in Romans-sur-Isère. He was 85 years old.
Artistic Works
Toros created many sculptures during his life. His art was shown in different places.
Art Exhibitions
Here are some of the places where R. Toros's sculptures were shown:
- Galerie Bost, Valence (1968)
- Salon d'automne, Paris (1970)
- Galerie Jean Dulac, Lyon (1972)
- Galerie Pyramide, Vienna (1975)
- Galerie Colette Dubois, Paris (1979-1980)
- Fondation E Schigling Ottebeuren, Germany (1998)
- Consortium International des Arts, Menton, Mégeve, Saint-Tropez (1996-2000)
- Galerie Saint Hubert, Lyon
- Rétrospective Musée d'Art contemporain, Montélimar (2012-2013)
- Du Dessin à la sculpture - Musée International de la chaussure, Romans-sur-Isère (2016)
- La Paix : Toros œuvre intégrale UNESCO, Paris (2017)
Monuments in Syria
Toros also created important monuments in his home country, Syria:
- La fontaine aux oiseaux, Aleppo (1965)
- L'émancipation de la femme arabe, Aleppo (1966)
