- Հայ
- Рус
- Eng
Participants of an international painting symposium initiated by Armenian State Pedagogical University visited Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on May 6.
Accompanied by ASPU lecturers, the foreign guests visited the Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury House, Ruben Sevak Museum and Cathedral Museum. The group was also received by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
Welcoming the foreign guests, the Armenian Catholicos expressed confidence that they were aware of the spiritual centre of the nation that was the first to adopt Christianity as its state religion, once they decided to visit Etchmiadzin.
“Since the adoption of Christianity, the Armenian Church has encouraged development of Armenian culture. Pearls of Armenian culture have been created for centuries under the auspices of the Armenian Church. There is an expression of Christian values in the works of each artist of Armenian origin,” His Holiness Karekin II said adding that the international symposium would serve as a cultural dialogue: it provides an opportunity to representatives of different nations to get acquainted with each other, interact and establish friendly relations.
The Armenian Catholicos also expressed hope that the works of foreign artists will enable different nations to understand not only their talent, but also national values, traditions and customs of different peoples.
Speaking about the recent flare-up of violence on the Karabakh frontline and the painful human losses, Karekin II called for solidarity, peace, kindness and humanity in the world and wished his guests unlimited energy for creating new paintings.
Rector of Armenian State Pedagogical University, Ruben Mirzakhanyan, thanked the Catholicos of All Armenians for the reception, saying the visit to Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin would leave indelible impressions on the guests. The rector expressed his hope that the plein air event, which had brought together renowned artists from six countries, would become traditional and promote intercultural dialogue.
On the sidelines of the visit, Professor Paravon Mirzoyan, Head of the Chair of Fine Arts, donated to the Museum of the Mother Cathedral his painting which received a Tekeyan trophy this year. He added that it is a great honour for every artist to have a painting exhibited at the Museum of the Mother Cathedral.
“Nothing happens by chance in art,” the Professor said noting that it took him a year to complete the work but he had decided to donate the painting to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from the very beginning.
Paravon Mirzoyan repeated once again that the organization of the international symposium of plein air painting was a great and significant achievement in the education system, especially considering the fact that it also involved students.
The meeting was attended by Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The works of the foreign painters will be exhibited at the National Gallery of Armenia on May 8.
