The Dilakian brothers, Hovik Dilakian and Gagik Dilakian, () are New York-based artists and animators of Armenian descent, sons of Tatul Dilakyan, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR.
Biography.
The Dilakian brothers were born in Yerevan — Hovik in 1950 and Gagik in 1951.
One of the Dilakian brothers' works is the children's animated film Found Dream, which was created in 1976 and is still being shown today. The screenplay was written by their sister, Nona Dilakian.
Before creating the Found Dream cartoon, the brothers worked at the "Hayfilm" film studio, participating in the production processes of various films and animated movies of the time — including the animation Fox Book, based on the fables of Vardan Aygektsi and Mkhitar Gosh, where Hovik served as the film’s art director.
Several years before Armenia's independence, the artist brothers moved to the United States and continued their collaborative work in their art studio located in Harlem, where their works were created and exhibited.
Crosstown is an ongoing photographic series initiated by Gagik Dilakian in the early 2000s. The project consists of images capturing cross-shaped forms encountered in everyday urban environments. The artist takes photographs spontaneously whenever a cross-like shape appears—while walking, waiting for public transport, or traveling. The series reflects an ongoing exploration of symbolism and form within ordinary settings and has been titled Crosstown to highlight both the motif and the context in which the images are typically found.In the 2000s the Crosstown series was exhibited at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.
In addition to his photographic work, the artist engages in sculptural practices using found materials. During his daily walks along the Hudson River, he collects discarded wooden pieces from parks and riverbanks. These materials are later assembled into sculptures and statues, reflecting a spontaneous and environmentally conscious approach to art-making. The resulting works often explore natural forms and textures, emphasizing the transformation of overlooked or abandoned objects into artistic expressions.
"Behind the Brush" is a series of three-dimensional artworks created by the artists which combine elements of biography, art history, and imagination, offering a unique look at both the artists and their most iconic works. The series imagines the studios and daily lives of famous painters such as Salvador Dalí, Vincent van Gogh, and Arshile Gorky etc. In each piece, the artists recreate well-known paintings by these figures, adding their own creative style and interpretation.The goal of the series is to bring viewers closer to the everyday life and creative world of these artists.
ARARART is a series of artworks inspired by Mount Ararat, a symbol deeply connected to Armenian identity. Created while living in New York, the artists expressed their longing for the mountain through this series. Missing Ararat, they began to notice its shape in everyday objects and city views—rooftops, shadows, hills, and even folds in fabric. These observations became the foundation for ARARART, a collection that captures everyday scenes resembling the iconic silhouette of Mount Ararat, blending nostalgia, national identity, and creative interpretation.The AraArt series features depictions of Mount Ararat․
The series of paintings they created during the COVID-19 pandemic is dedicated to the statues of Yerevan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the artists created a series based on the public statues of Yerevan. In this series, the statues appear surprised by the sudden emptiness of the city—no traffic, few people, and unusual silence. Imagining that the statues did not understand what was happening, the artists brought them to life. The sculptures and images show the statues walking through the streets, exploring the quiet city and trying to find out what had changed. The series combines humor, imagination, and reflection on the pandemic's impact on daily life.
During the 44-day war, the Dilakian brothers presented illustrated versions of the famous We Are Our Mountains monument of Artsakh․. On that occasion, in 2022, an exhibition was held in Yerevan where the brothers presented their works.
The Dilakian brothers regularly visit Armenia and showcase their works.