Opening ceremony of “Aleppo: Troublesome Days” exhibition showcasing paintings by Syrian-Armenian children
On February 18, the three-day “Aleppo: Troublesome Days” exhibition showcasing the paintings by students of the Martiros Saryan Academy of AGBU Aleppo opened at the museum of children’s creations of the National Center of Aesthetics in Yerevan. The exhibition is part of the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Academy.
The exhibition is organized with the support of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO.
In her welcoming remarks, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan mentioned the following: “We are witnessing a unique exhibition that is very touching for me because first, Armenian children continue to create and paint during a war in Aleppo and secondly, it’s impossible to stop us Armenians from creating. If the great painter Martiros Saryan was living, he would admire our children’s paintings. I am certain that these children will become great painters like Martiros Saryan. Unfortunately, the Armenian children of Aleppo haven’t created paintings portraying their peaceful and carefree childhood, but paintings portraying scenes of ruins in Aleppo,” the RA Minister of Diaspora emphasized, adding: “It’s not by chance that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has granted certificates to the children participating in this exhibition.”
The minister expressed special gratitude to teacher of the Academy Hrazdan Tokmajian. Although he left Armenia for Aleppo 20 years ago and became the longstanding director of the Academy, he became devoted to his job, remained a part of the Armenian community and helped the Academy reach a high level of performance.
Hranush Hakobyan granted the Arshile Gorky Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Hrazdan Tokmajian for disseminating and familiarizing Armenian arts abroad, as well as for his great contributions to the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership through his activities.
As Mrs. Hakobyan mentioned, an illustrated book presenting the paintings by the Armenian children of Aleppo was printed with the support and the participation of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
The RA Minister of Diaspora expressed gratitude to the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO for their active and heartfelt support to organize the event, as well as to the administration of the National Center of Aesthetics for its support and for providing the hall.
Expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Diaspora for the high award and for properly organizing the exhibition showcasing the works by students of the Academy, Hrazdan Tokmajian mentioned: “I will return to Aleppo and will continue to do what I do as your Hrazdan Tokmajian. These Armenian children of Aleppo are the 5thgeneration of Western Armenians who are in a war once again. They will be more than happy to see their paintings on television, that is, of course, if they are provided with the opportunity to have television sets.”
Chairman of AGBU Aleppo, writer, pedagogue Hagop Mikayelian mentioned that the roots of the Academy established in 1955 are so deep that even in a war it continues to keep its doors open and mitigate the sufferings of children in these difficult times with the power of art.
Attaching great importance to the exhibition for the students of the Martiros Saryan Academy of Aleppo, General Director of the National Center of Aesthetics Levon Igityan mentioned: “I don’t know any other nation that continues to create under such conditions. This is the attribute that has helped us survive for 5,000 years and the attribute that makes other nations show respect towards the Armenian nation.”
Merited Art Figure of the Republic of Armenia, Aleppo-Armenian art critic Shahen Khachatrian and Syrian-Armenian artist, designer Kevork Shadoian also praised the exhibition showcasing the works by the Armenian children of Aleppo.
The exhibition also included performances by Aleppo-Armenian children, including Anna Maria Mubayed and Serli Sherhmelian, who have moved to the Homeland as a result of the civil war in Syria.