The work of most contemporary Armenian artists utilizes a variety of media, though painting seems generally to still be the most widespread art form in Armenia, especially since many artists start out as painters due to the traditional nature of state art education.

Video art has become very popular in the last decade due to its accessibility and affordability and also since it is considered a more contemporary medium than painting or sculpture. At the 2001 Venice Biennale Armenian artists presented only video art and it has become the preferred medium of the Armenian Centre for Contemporary Experimental Art who have been curating the Armenian Pavilion since 1995.

Live art and performance have a long tradition in Armenia – artists such as Azat Sargsyan and Grigor Khachaturian have been active in this field since the 1980s engaging in socio-political actions and performances.

Politically and socially engaged art is also present as artists reflect on the current situation in Armenia. Events such as 2008’s disputed parliamentary elections followed by bloody demonstrations and a nationalistic turn in the country’s politics have greatly shaped the politically charged works of Art Laboratory whose work spans painting, street performance, video and more recently – street art.

Another tendency in Armenian art revolves around the questioning and reworking of Armenian identity, national heritage and tradition. This also includes reflecting on the Soviet heritage – both in the physical and psychological sense. Good examples here are series of oil paintings by Edgar Amroyan: in his 2009 solo-exhibition at ACCEA entitled ‘Soviet Party’ the artist depicts parties from the Soviet period based on private photography archives, another of his projects is about recollections of his Soviet childhood. Vahram Aghasyan’s photographs and videos document abandoned Soviet factories and housing estates.

Gender issues are another common theme in Armenian art with many female artists and curators commenting on the situation of women in Armenia both in the form of single artworks (by artists such as Diana Hakobian, Karine Matsakyan or Sona Abgarian) and thematic events and festivals such as ‘Women’s Dialogue’ international festival in 2005 initiated by curator Eva Khachatrian or ‘Gender Trouble. Platforms’ – an annual international workshop organised by curator Susanna Gyulamiryan of Arts and Cultural Studies Laboratory. Utopiana is an organisation often organising projects involving women and concerning gender issues.

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