PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
Fax: 617-484-1759
TALK ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURAL MODELS
AT NAASR BY DR. CHRISTINA MARANCI
Dr. Christina Maranci of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, will
give an illustrated lecture on "The Tiny Churches of Armenia: Medieval
Architectural Models," on Thursday, June 7, at 8:00 p.m., at the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center,
395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA. This lecture is being given in memory of
Arshag Merguerian (1926-2005), architect and an active member and friend
of NAASR for nearly fifty years. The expenses for the lecture will be
covered by funds contributed to NAASR following Merguerian’s passing in
2005.
While most scholars of Armenian architecture focus on life-size
churches, few have paid attention to a tiny, but related tradition: the
stone architectural models of the Caucasus. Produced in great number
and in a variety of contexts, these diminutive churches form a unique
tradition within the art of the Middle Ages, East or West.
Underexamined Aspect of Medieval Armenian Architecture
Held by donors in sculptural relief, mounted on church gables, and fixed
to the interior portals of monasteries, the models assume the form of
miniature domed churches. Considering medieval Armenian architectural
and textual traditions, this talk will ask why they emerged and what
they might have meant to the contemporary viewer.
Did the models hold a ritual function? Increasing epigraphic,
sculptural, and architectural evidence suggests that ceremonial movement
occurred outside, as well as inside the church. This hypothesis may
thus shed light on models such as that held by King Gagik at Agh’tamar.
The models might also reflect a broader, self-referential trend in
Armenian architecture of the tenth century and later.
In considering the performative, iconographic, and practical roles of
stone models in the Transcaucasus, Dr. Maranci will provide a new
framework for understanding an understudied yet striking tradition of
medieval art.
Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR
Center is located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the
U.S. Post Office. Ample parking is available around the building and in
adjacent areas. The lecture will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m.
More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610,
faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395
Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.
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Belmont, MA
May 11, 2007
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
