KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

On the initiative of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of Armenia and the National Gallery of Armenia,  the presentation of illustrated books headed “Social Realism and the Soviet Armenian Art”  by the Honoured Cultural Worker, Professor Rouben Mirzakhanyan and the Honorary Member of the RA Artists Union, Honoured Science Worker, Professor Hravard Hakobyan was held at the Frescos Hall of the National Gallery of Armenia.

At the beginning of the event, the NA President Galust Sahakyan granted Mr. Rouben Mirzakhanyan and Ms. Hravard Hakobyan with the NA “Medal of Honour” for huge contribution in the spheres of science and pedagogy.

Representatives of the sphere of education, science and art expressed their congratulations on the publication of the book, highlighting that the book was the best present both for the field specialists and art universities.

In his turn, Mr. Vladimir Barkhudaryan, the NAS Academician, stressed out the importance of publication of the book from the historical perspective, mentioning that after the collapse of the Soviet power all that was created in soviet times was rejected in the enthusiastic atmosphere of independence and since our days various phenomena of culture, social sciences and life of those days have not been studied profoundly. 

 “Just like the art, science, too, have internal development tendencies and logic. I assure that the pieces of those years were created in such an artistic mastery and professionalism that should not be neglected. This is a valuable period that has, however, not been studied deeply and properly enough.” 

Further on, the Head of the ASPU Department of Armenian Ancient and Medieval Literature and its Teaching Methods, the NAS Associate Member, Professor Aelita Doloukhanyan considered the book to be a manual of historical, cognitive and scientific value.

“When studying a piece of art we should not forget international standards as well; in this book the soviet art developments went in line with the development tendencies of world art.” 

In reply to the question, to what extent this book will find its place in the World, the professor answered, “This illustrated book is the achievement of Armenian art”. 

Besides, referring to the co-author of the book, Professor Hravard Hakobyan, Ms. Aelita Doloukhanyan observed that when creating the book Mr. Rouben Mirzakhanyan chose such a comrade –in-arms who is associated with the roots of Armenian art.

Later on, the Rector of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts, Professor Aram Isabekyan congratulated the authors and highlighted the following, “This is also a good present for the students of the Fine Arts universities that will allow them to get acquainted with the history of a whole era of art; an era where the great figures lived trying to glorify the time but with an outstanding mastery.” 

Among those present at the presentation of the illustrated book were the friends of the Rector of Pedagogical University Rouben Mirzakhanyan, the YSU Rector Aram Simonyan, the Rector of the Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction Hovhannes Toqmajyan, the Rector of the State Institute of Theatre and Cinema Davit Mouradyan.

The latter proudly recalls that the majority of those present at the hall are the carriers of the time; for the other generations social realism is a myth, memory or an empty and blank page.

“Time vanishes unless it is reflected in art; in this perspective this illustrated book is our history and biography.”

The RA Honoured Art Worker assures that it is possible to link the pages of history through books and to praise the heritage of that period. That was an interesting historical period that gave birth to alternatives for art.  

The YSU Rector in his turn added that it is one’s duty to represent Armenia of social realistic times as the young generation has a false idea about that period.  Moreover, Aram Simonyan considered the illustrated book a monumental work.

In addition, the Leader of the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese Navasard Kochoyan notes in his congratulatory speech that everybody is too carefully presenting social realism and urged them not to fully draw a black line over the period.

“The era of Socialism is in past but it is a reality. Throwing a stone on the era of Socialism does not make you a patriot; you should only avoid chauvinism and be nationalistic; the past is living right in culture”, mentioned the leader and urged them to treat the history with a straight eye, to upraise what is educative and to create live communication for better understanding the period.

The co-author of the book, Professor Hravard Hakobyan in her turn, expresses acknowledgements for the compliments emphasizing that the illustrated book should not be accepted as a selection of soviet art pieces; as a matter of fact, the book includes ordinary but professional creators’ works that were not properly assessed in due time.

To conclude, Rouben Mirzakhanyan also expressed thankfulness to all those who participated in the creation and compilation of the illustrated book, to Mr. Ara Hakobyan in particular, as well as to their sponsors, with the efforts of who it became possible to submit this gross illustrated book to the readers’ judgment. After which he informed that all profit received out of selling the book will be used for charity aims only. 

And last but not least, a film characterizing the era was shown during the presentation together with the performance of the Armenia Public Radio Pop Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Mr. Yervand Yerznkyan, with soloists Anna Mayilyan, Masha Mnjoyan, and Narek Makaryan.