24 ARMENIAN CYPRIOT ARTISTS EXHIBIT

Gibrahayer Nicosia – Sunday, March 8

Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra – katoomba@cytanet.com.cy – The Armenian
Cultural Association Hamazkayin `Oshagan’ organised an exhibition of
Armenian Cypriot artists at the Utudjian Hall of the Armenian Prelature
of Cyprus, Nicosia, under the auspices of the Armenian Representative,
Mr Vartkes Mahdessian. The exhibition was open between 6-8 March 2009.
Twenty four Armenian Cypriot artists of all ages proudly
exhibited 88 works in total. The themes varied, ranging from paintings,
mosaics, mirrors and photographs to articles of clothing, jewellery,
carpets, chairs, pillows, silk works, wood works, patchworks and
charms. This plethora of exhibits reminded us that art is so much more
than just painting. The most sentimental piece was made by Tatiana
Ferahian from Limassol, a time capsule with bone remains from Genocide
martyrs, brought to Cyprus by her mother in 2005 from the Der Zor
desert, a powerful reminder of the atrocities the Armenian nation
endured in the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries,
yet it managed to survive, thrive and prosper.
Other Armenian themes included four wooden khachkars
(cross-stones), created by Aris Utudjian, four of Artin Anmahouni’s
paintings (new Sourp Asdvadzadzin church, the Magaravank in
Pendadhaktylos, Noravank, and Ararat), all three of well-known John
Guevherian’s paintings (Victoria street, the old Sourp Asdvadzadzin
church, and Noravank Monastery), the Ayp Pen Kim (the Armenian
alphabet, by Shoghik Arakelian) and the Garmiravor church, by Manoug
Mangaldjian. The famous artist Vartan Tashdjian, who was also a speaker
at the exhibition, chose to display only one theme: the Melkonian. In
his seven paintings we were able to see the various buildings and yards
of the Melkonian, whose memory must never fade away and the fight for
its re-opening must never cease.
As previously mentioned, there were many forms of art and many
types of painting approaches. Perhaps the most traditionally Cypriot
paintings were those of Therese Kasparian-Petrides, one of which was
painted on a traditional old wooden door.
On behalf of all who had the opportunity to visit the
exhibition, I would like to say a big `thank you’ to Hamazkayin
`Oshagan’, for organising this lovely event, and to all the artists
(the ones mentioned, plus Knar Kabaradjian, Veronica Mahdessian, Sevan
Malikyan, Lili Meguerditchian, Alice Nadjarian, Nouritz Nadjarian,
Aznive Papazian, Anahid Sarkissian, Lucy Shahinian, Talin
Tashdjian-Chalikian, Nanor Tashdjian-Gauci, Garcia Tellalian, Hourig
Torossian, Hapeth Touloumdjian, Albert Voskeritchian and Sebouh
Voskeritchian), for giving us such a splendid sight. Let us hope events
like this will be organised more often in Cyprus.