On November 26, 2017, the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of Hayartun Center of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese hosted the opening of the “Renaissance” exhibition featuring works by 7 young Armenian painters of Artsakh. The event was organized by Tekeyan Centre Fund, in partnership with the Museums of the City of Shushi Organization and Hayartun Armenian Educational, Cultural and Youth Center.

The walls of the hall were decorated with the nearly 40 oil paintings of Armine Avagimyan, Gaiane Shushetsi, Davit Avagimyan, Zarine Babayan, Mary Musaelyan, Michael Danielyan and Samvel Tavadyan, portraying love, beauty, labor and creation.

First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia Artur Sargsyan and Advisor Artak Grabsky honored the event with their presence. There were many people in the hall, including artists, cultural figures, intellectuals and members of the Armenian community of Tbilisi.

Director of Tekeyan Centre Fund Armen Tsulikyan and painter Samvel Tavadyan had traveled to Tbilisi to participate in the opening of the exhibition.

Opening the exhibition, Head of the Culture Department of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and Director of Hayartun Center Levon Chidilyan attached importance to the event aimed at helping Tbilisi-Armenians and young Armenian painters of Artsakh meet each other and establish close ties. The title “Renaissance” truly enshrines the life of the people of Artsakh who are just 100 kilometers away from the borderline, who were born and are devoted to their home and work and dream of peace.

Director of Tekeyan Centre Fund Armen Tsulikyan briefly stated the goal of the Fund, which is this cultural program of Tekeyan Centre created for the purpose of fostering the development of Armenian culture, education and science having faced hardships following Armenia’s declaration of independence in 1991 and preserving the national identity. Touching upon the organizing of this exhibition in Tbilisi, the Fund’s director attached importance to introducing the promising generation of the difficult years of independence and their works through arts and paintings. In those works one can clearly see love, beauty, peace and aesthetics. Armen Tsulikyan made a proposal to organize an exhibition of Tbilisi-Armenia painters in Yerevan and Artsakh with the support of Tekeyan Centre.

Miniature artist Meruzhan Shahumyan, painter-potter Levon Osipov and Spokesman of the Union of Armenians of Ajaria Artur Hovhannisyan shared their impressions, highly appreciated the exhibited works and valued the light that radiates from the paintings decorating the walls of the hall, the view portrayed in the young painters’ paintings and the progress that is shown in their paintings.

On behalf of the painters from Artsakh, painter Samvel Tavadyan expressed gratitude for the exhibition and voiced hope that the cooperation between young Armenian creators of Tbilisi and Artsakh will be a close and practical cooperation.

Pastor of the Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian Church of Havlabar, Fr. Priest Virap Ghazaryan gave his blessing and expressed his appreciation. Highlighting the feature of an Armenian to create even at the most difficult moment, the priest attached importance to the fact that there is no sign of contradiction or hardships in the exhibited works. Instead, the warm and bright colors in the paintings reflect the tranquility of awakening, the joy of renaissance and the desire for peace.

The opening of the exhibition was followed by a reception during which the attendees were treated to the symbolic “Jengyalov Hats” from Artsakh.

Hayartun Center will continue to host the exhibition until late December, as reported on the official website of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese.