Ara Dymond
In Remembrance
January 15, 1978 – January 6, 2022
Obituary
Ara Dymond—artist, son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin, friend—died on January 6, 2022.
Ara was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 15, 1978. First born son, born during the first Kona storm of the season, entitled him to the Hawaiian name: Hānau Mua Keiki Kane i Ka Ino Kona Mua. Ara had a fierce, independent spirit, that couldn’t be tamed. He impacted those who crossed his path. He was a kind, gentle soul that will not be forgotten. He was a fearless artist, particular and discerning, and he left a brilliant legacy born of a childhood built on discovery, exploration, and experimentation.
Ara shared a name with his great grandfather, who fled from Aleppo to NYC, as a survivor of the Armenian genocide in 1915. Ara, the name of Armenian kings, taken from the first three letters of Ararat, the biblical mountain in Armenia where Noah’s ark landed.
Ara attended and graduated from the United Nations International School and Purchase College. He exhausted the medium of painting before graduating college to more complex sculptural work that incorporated found objects in innovative and inventive ways. He could build anything, design everything.
Ara’s work was featured in art shows around the world, and the best was yet to come. His iconic sweatshirt sculptures were a trademark, but he showed his breadth in major shows like Famous, New York, Modernism Everywhere (2013, Santa Monica, CA) and Surviving the Pinocchio Locomotive (2014, New York, NY). He was named a best of Frieze artist in 2014 for work shown at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. An artist to his core, an independent spirit, he was a truly original creator. He had a vision and never accepted anything less than that vision dictated.
He loved his parents, his brother, his family and his friends and they loved him, deeply. He brought people together with his irreverent humor, reckless abandon, and sweet soul. He loved animals with just as much fervor, especially his poodle, Frank.
Ara is survived by his mother Lin Torosian Dymond and father George Dymond of New York City; his brother Alex Dymond, sister-in-law Olivia Kim, and niece Cleo Dymond of Seattle, WA; his Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jeff Zoraian; cousins Alina, Lexi, and Harrison; and several aunts, uncles, cousins on both sides of the family; and a multitude of friends from every corner of Ara’s life. He was preceded in death by grandparents Edward and Varsen Torosian and George Sr. and Lucy Dymond.
Memorial services were held celebrating Ara’s life on his 44th birthday at Sparrow NYC, January 15th, 2022. Donations in Ara’s name can be sent to the ASPCA, American Friends Service Committee, Salvation Army, World Wildlife Federation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Helpline,or other environmental oriented non profit organizations.