PHOTOS OF PAINTER AND CROSS-STONE MAKER VARAZDAT HAMBARDZUMIAN’S WORKS TO BE SHOWN AT MOSCOW WORLD EXHIBITION
Noyan Tapan
Dec 24, 2009
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Photos and drawings of cross-stones
designed by painter and cross-stone (khachkar) maker Varazdat
Hambardzumian will be shown at the World Exhibition to be held
between December 29 to January 12 in Moscow. As the cross-stone
maker mentioned at a December 24 press conference, he will present
cross-stone’s meaning at the exhibition under the title Dialogue of
World Cultures through Art and will try to explain to foreigners that
it is "Armenian people’s prayer expressed by stone’s language."
V. Hambardzumian said that he does not want the cross-stone to be
considered as a commemorative stone. He said that before the 12th
century it was prohibited to place a cross-stone on graves in Armenia.
According to him, the cross-stone is a symbol of eternity and
symbolizes not death but life. According to the master, when
sculpturing cross-stones he uses images of grapes, pomegranate,
various plants as a pattern, which symbolize fruiting, warm human
relations. For instance, he designed the cross-stone symbolizing
Armenian-Russian friendship winded round with plants and thus meant
that the friendship of Armenian and Russian peoples is by the will
of God.