Vartan Kurjian, better known as Vartan, is a Grammy-winning art director and designer, primarily for

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

and

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

. As of 2014, he had worked on over 600 albums. Vartan began his career in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, working as a graphic artist. In 1979, he joined the art department at MCA Records, becoming a senior art director in 1991.Discogs page for Vartan
Vartan won a

Grammy Award for Best Recording Package The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer(s), unless the performer is also the art dir ...

at the

34th Annual Grammy Awards The 34th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1992, recognizing accomplishments by musicians from the previous year (1991). Natalie Cole won the most awards (three), including Album of the Year. Paul Simon opened the show. Performers ...

, in 1992, for ''Billie Holiday - The Complete Decca Recordings'' performed by

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...

. In 1994, Vartan was promoted to VP of creative packaging.''Billboard'' (Jun 18, 1994), Vol. 106, No. 25, p. 11.

Noted albums worked on

*''

When the Eagle Flies ''When the Eagle Flies'' is the seventh studio album released by English rock band Traffic, in 1974. The album featured Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Chris Wood, with Rosko Gee on bass guitar. Percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah was fired prior to t ...

'' (Traffic, 1974) *'' Frampton'' (Peter Frampton, 1975) *''

I'm in You ''I'm in You'' is the fifth studio album by Peter Frampton. It was released on 28 May 1977, almost a year and a half after his blockbuster 1976 live album ''Frampton Comes Alive!'' It was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York, where ''F ...

'' (Peter Frampton, 1977) *''

Zenyatta Mondatta ''Zenyatta Mondatta'' (stylised as ''Zenyattà Mondatta'' on the album cover artwork) is the third studio album by English rock band the Police, released on 3 October 1980 by A&M Records. It was co-produced by the band and Nigel Gray. ''Zenyatta ...

'' (The Police, 1980) *''

At Newport 1960 ''At Newport 1960'' is a live album by Muddy Waters recorded during his performance at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 3, 1960. With his longtime backup band, Muddy Waters plays a mix of his older popular tunes and some newer compositions. Che ...

'' (Muddy Water, 1987 reissue) *'' His Best'' (Sonny Boy Williamson II, 1997) *''

The Harder They Come ''The Harder They Come'' is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell and co-written by Trevor D. Rhone, and starring Jimmy Cliff. The film is most famous for its reggae soundtrack that is said to have "brought reggae to the world". ...

'' (soundtrack, 2003 reissue)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vartan Date of birth missing (living people) Living people Art directors Year of birth missing (living people)