CAFESJIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS GRAND OPENING TO FEATURE LIBENSK BRYCHTOVA EXHIBITION

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Thursday October 01, 2009

Yerevan – A spectacular fireworks display on Saturday, November 7, will
mark the beginning of the Grand Opening Celebration of the Cafesjian
Center for the Arts at the Cascade monument in Yerevan. The Cascade
has been completely transformed into one of the world’s outstanding
centers for contemporary art, at a cost of $35 million.

The center has invited the public to view all the renovations that
have taken place inside the Cascade and enjoy a special schedule of
exhibitions, lectures, book signings, concerts, and other events on
November 8.

Libenský Brychtova: For Armenia

Among the exhibitions that will inaugurate the Cafesjian Center for
the arts is Libenský Brychtova: For Armenia.

The Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection is one of the largest collections
of modern glass found in any museum, and its holdings of works by
the Czech couple are among the finest in the world. This exhibition,
specially designed and installed by Jaroslava Brychtova herself,
is a mere fragment of the overall Gerard L. Cafesjian collection,
which contains over one hundred pieces by the celebrated couple.

The collaboration of Stanislav Libenský (1921-2002) and Ms. Brychtova
spanned nearly five decades, and the couple is credited with
elevating glass to the status of a fine art. They are two of the
most influential artists to have worked in the medium during the 20th
century. Considered "national treasures" in their homeland, the couple
have exhibited widely in galleries and museums throughout the world,
and their work is in numerous public and private collections.

"Their work shattered the prejudice against glass," Dr. Michael De
Marsche, executive director of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts,
stated. "Before Libenský Brychtova glass was used primarily for
objects that were more decorative in nature. But Libenský Brychtova
created work that was authentically modern. They fused monumental
abstract shape with a material whose intense color and translucency
is unmatched by any other. They demonstrated once and for all that
glass could be applied to the more rigorously intellectual realm of
large-scale sculpture."

Many of the works in For Armenia resemble Armenia’s own traditional
khachkar, or stone cross, infusing the work with spiritual meaning and
forming a tangible link between the artists and the land they have
grown to admire. The Libenský Brychtova relationship with Armenia
dates back to the 1980s, when the artists studied the culture and
history of Armenia. The devastation of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia
had a profound impact on the artists, resulting in the creation of
the triptych Silhouettes of the Town (1989), which is part of the
Cafesjian Collection. "The Czech and Armenian nations have a lot of
things in history that are quite similar," Ms. Brychtova stated in a
recent visit to Yerevan. "I think the Armenian public will appreciate
and understand what we are expressing in our art," she added.

Ms. Brychtova will make a rare personal appearance in Yerevan for
the opening of the Center and for the exhibition Libenský Brycthtova:
For Armenia. The artist will also appear at a number of the Center’s
opening events on November 8, including the Center’s ribbon cutting
ceremony, the opening reception for For Armenia, and a book signing
for the book Libenský Brychtova.

What follows is part of the program for the Grand Opening of the
center.

Opening Ceremony

Sunday, November 8, 10:00 a.m., Gallery One

The public is invited to celebrate the official opening of the
Cafesjian Center for the Arts. Be present with numerous dignitaries,
including the famous artist Jaroslava Brychtova, at the opening
ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Book Signing, Jaroslava Brychtova

Sunday, November 8, 10:30 a.m., Museum Store Two of the most
influential glass artists of the 20th century, Libenský Brychtova
redefined glassmaking and explored new relationships between light,
space, and color. Meet Jaroslava Brychtova and gain intimate insight
into her art and life. The book Libenský Brychtova will be available
for purchase in the Museum Store.

Opening Reception, Libenský Brychtova: For Armenia

Sunday, November 8, 11:00 a.m., Sasuntsi Davit Hall View an exhibition
of the glass sculpture created by Czech couple Stanislav Libenský and
Jaroslava Brychtova. See why these renowned artists are singlehandedly
credited with expanding the limits of glass as a medium into the
realm of fine art. Jaroslava Brychtova will be at the reception to
greet guests and answer questions.