On the initiative of the famous philanthropist and public figure Artur Asatryan, an exhibition on the history of Armenian fine arts (which will last six months) opened on October 5.
According to the organizer, the creation of the project required 30 years of meticulous and constant work by a large multinational group of researchers, historians, restorers and artists. The main message of the exhibition is a call to great examples of the past that should inspire the present and future generations of the Armenian people. We are talking about the rulers of Armenia, who personify the historical path of the Armenian people.
“From time immemorial until the fall of the Armenian state in the 14th century, the country was ruled by eight royal dynasties. At different times, Armenian rulers bore different titles, from “king of kings” to “satraps.” Unfortunately, only portraits of a few of them have survived. Furthermore, the Supreme Patriarchs and Catholics of all Armenians were not depicted on the canvas. “I consider it the duty of an enlightened person to preserve the memory of the people’s leaders, their life history and their political and cultural heritage.” – Asatryan recalled.
According to him, the idea of restoring portraits of statesmen who played an important role in the history of the Armenian people arose in the 90s, when controversial values began to be implemented in post-Soviet countries.
“There was only one goal: to prevent the younger generation from separating from their roots and forgetting the names and faces of outstanding figures in Armenian history. Precisely for this reason this project was launched: to create in the information and cultural space a true monument to the heroic past of the Armenian people.” – said Artur Asatryan.
To this end, he said, a lot of research work has been carried out in the last 30 years, documents have been recovered from the archives of many countries, from the Vatican to Yerevan. Based on this information, portraits of 50 kings and 132 Catholics of all Armenians, the Supreme Patriarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, have been recreated to date. 109 large canvases were created depicting key events in Armenian history.
“I think it is logical that the new museum complex in the city of Etchmiadzin becomes the home of the entire collection. But for me it is symbolic that the first complete exhibition of the “Renaissance” takes place in the Tapan Museum, within the walls of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which for centuries has preserved the identity and faith of the Armenian people.” – concluded Arthur Asatryan.
