PanARMENIAN.Net

24 Armenian artists to exhibit in Cyprus
15.03.2009 00:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 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.

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 Armenian 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.

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.