Born in 1969 in Lyon, France.
Lives and works in Paris.
Melik Ohanian's works explore the means, supports and allegorical power of the images, reverting constantly to several subjects: desert areas, the working class world, the end of revolutionary utopias and social, historical, and scientific facts.
Melik Ohanian is the recipient of several prizes: Golden Lion for the Best National Pavilion (Armenia), 56th Venice Biennale (2015); Marcel Duchamp Award, Paris (2015) and the Prix Visarte, Zurich (2019).
His work has been shown in numerous solo exhibitions at international museums such as Memorial de la Shoah, Paris (2023); Parc Trembley, Geneva, (2018); Magasins généraux, Pantin, (2018); Hôtel de la Bûcherie, Paris (2018); Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2021; 2016);CRAC Languedoc-Roussillon, Sète (2014); Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City (2013); Mumbai Art Room, Mumbai (2012); Matucana 100, Santiago (2008); CCA, Kitakyushu (2007) ; South London Gallery, London (2006) ; De Appel, Amsterdam (2006) ; IAC, Villeurbanne (2006); The Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta (2003); Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2002).
In 2008, his exhibition From the voice to the hand was created at the scale of a city, with the collaboration of several parisian institutions such as the MAC/VAL, FRAC Ile de France — Le Plateau, the Abbaye de Maubuisson, the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou and the Cité Nationale de l'Histoire de l'Immigration, among 15 venues in parternship.
He was also featured in several international group shows including the Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, Aalborg (2021); Galerie Rudolfinum, Prague (2019); Tate Modern, London (2019); Villa Empain / Fondation Boghossian, Brussels (2019); Whitney Museum, New York (2016); Carré d’art, Nîmes (2015); Nam June Paik Art Center, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do (2013); Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah (2012); The Israel Museum, Jerusalem (2010); Beirut Art Center, Beirut (2009); Moderna Museet, Stockholm (2008); MUMOK, Vienna (2005), among others.
He was also featured in many biennials: the Busan Biennale, Busan (2018); Lyon Biennal, Lyon (2017; 2005); Sydney Biennal, Sydney (2016; 2004); Sharjah Biennale, Sharjah (2011); Venice Biennal, Venice (2007); Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju (2006); Seville Biennal, Seville (2005); PERFORMA, New York (2005); Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2004); Sao Paulo Biennial, Sao Paulo (2004).
Melik Ohanian’s works have joined the collections of the MAC/VAL, Musée d'art contemporain du Val-de-Marne, Vitry-sur-Seine; Centre national des arts plastiques, Paris; La Collection IAC, Villeurbanne; Musée d'art moderne de Paris, Paris; Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Frac Corse, Corte; Frac Île de France — Le Plateau, Paris; Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon, Lyon; Musée d'art de Nantes, Nantes; Fonds municipal d'art contemporain de la Ville de Paris, Paris; MUDAM, Luxembourg; Neuflize, Paris; The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia; Van Abbe Museum, Eindhoven; Rachofsky collection, Dallas; Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Chaumont.
Selected works
