“My father probably wouldn’t be against it. Before I left, I would constantly talk to my friends and ask them if he would be against me showing my work in Turkey, but today, the painting entitled “The Last Night of Komitas” is hung in central Istanbul.” This is what outstanding painter Sargis Muradyan’s daughter, Zaruhi Muradyan said in an interview with Panorama.am.

As reports Panorama.am, an exhibition called “From the Past to The Future” and showcasing the works of Sargis Muradyan was opened at the Sismanoglio Megaro Center of Istanbul on October 7 and will run until October 18. The exhibition is organized by Sargis Muradyan Gallery and the Paros magazine of Istanbul.

According to Zaruhi Muradyan, the exhibition showcases 30 works, including 16 paintings and 14 graphic works, including portraits, landscapes, compositions, as well as a version of the painting called “Komitas: The Last Night” (1986). All the paintings are from the family’s collection.

“The main idea of the exhibition is renaissance. It is about the people who came, overcame difficulties and were reborn,” said Zaruhi Muradyan.

Muradyan said she had been thinking about organizing an exhibition dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul for a long time. It had taken her quite a long time to try to find someone who could organize her exhibition there. “I contacted the representatives of that magazine who had already organized the exhibitions of several Armenian painters in Istanbul. I sent photos of 45 paintings, and they selected 30 of them. It took quite a long time. I sent the paintings to Istanbul in a plane.”

According to Muradyan, the exhibition sparked great interest. The opening ceremony saw a turnout of 400 people, including Armenians, Greeks, Turks, as well as Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the archbishop of the Greeks and the consul, who also gave a speech.

Turkish-language newspapers have covered the exhibition.