Fairy tale and life


Why does a person invent a fairy tale? What is a folk tale? What symbols are there in fairy tales, for example, about elections in Armenian fairy tales, in Russian folklore about golden and ordinary eggs, Faberge's golden eggs and the tragedy of the royal family? Marina Baghdagyulyan hosted fairy tale expert and translator Alvard Jivanyan in the pavilion of the "Day 6" program.

Armenia has chosen the winner of the prestigious Goncourt literary prize


Last year, Armenia selected its laureate of the prestigious Goncourt literary prize, French-Rwandan writer and singer Gael Fay, for his new novel Jacaranda. With this, Armenia officially became the 39th country to join the international Goncourt selection with its student jury and gain the opportunity to participate in global literary processes. At the Francofest, which will take place on November 15, Nymeg will present the Armenian edition of Jacaranda. Anahit Margaryan spoke with Ani Hakobyan, head of literary programs at Nymeg Publishing House, and Manu Iritsyan, responsible for multimedia content, about the Goncourt prize, Gael Fay’s bestseller, Francofest, books, printing, and literary marketing at Artfocus.

The International Organ Music Festival was held for the third time


In 2022, the long-standing dream of the founder of the Armenian organ school, the late Vahagn Stamboltsyan, was realized in Armenia. The International Organ Music Festival was organized on the initiative of the National Center for Chamber Music and with the support of the Armenian Chamber Music Society. This year, the festival is being held for the third time. It kicked off on September 24 with a concert dedicated to Komitas. From September to December, the best masters of organ art perform in Armenia. Art critic Anahit Margaryan spoke with Armen Sukiasyan, artistic director of the International Organ Music Festival and deputy director of the National Center for Chamber Music, about the festival and organ art in “Artfocus”.

Treasures Returning: A Fine Art Collection


The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is not only a spiritual center, but also an exceptional repository of works of art. The painting collection of the Mother See was formed during the reign of Hovhannes VIII Karbetsi, at the beginning of the 19th century, and with the patronage and efforts of His Holiness Karekin II, it was replenished with 436 cultural values. The painting collection of the Mother See was replenished not only with works of Armenian classical, but also with works of contemporary artists.

The Return of Treasures: Antique Books


On the direct initiative of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the Karekin I Educational Center was established, based on the personal book collections of Catholicos Vazgen I, Karekin I, and Karekin II. The antiquarian collection was formed in parallel with the collection that already existed in the Mother See. Currently, there are two collections of antiquarian books in Holy Etchmiadzin. In total, before the enthronement of His Holiness the Patriarch, the Mother See had approximately 2,000 units of antiquarian literature. Over the past 25 years, the two collections have been replenished with approximately 960 units.
In 2021, the Matenadaran was established in the Mother See. A magnificent new building was built under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II. The two-story building houses the book depositories and auxiliary rooms, the administrative part, the reading room, including the reading room for antiquarian books. The collection of antiquities kept in the Matenadaran of the Mother See has 703 specimens, 620 of which arrived in Etchmiadzin during the reign of Catholicos Karekin II.
 

The Return of Treasures: Manuscripts


The manuscript collection of Holy Etchmiadzin has been replenished with 123 manuscripts through the efforts of Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. Now the manuscript collection of the Mother See is the second largest in Armenia after the Mashtotsyan Matenadaran. After the renovation of the Holy See, special cabinets were installed by special order of His Holiness, where the manuscripts of the Mother See are carefully collected. They are not only kept in the manuscript collection, but also exhibited in the museums of the Mother See, participating in exhibitions taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora.

Return of the treasures


Through the mediation and administration of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, 32 reliquaries have been brought to Holy Etchmiadzin in the last quarter of a century: right-shaped, cross-reliquaries, and reliquary vaults. They contain relics of the Armenian Apostolic Church and pan-Christian saints. In 25 years, the treasury of the Mother See's relics has been enriched with rare and exclusive relics.

Jansem: The Master of the Live Line


This year marks the 105th anniversary of the birth of Jean Jansem, one of the outstanding figures of French modern art. The National Gallery of Armenia presented a large-scale exhibition entitled “Jansem: Master of the Living Line,” which includes more than 120 works by Jansem. The exhibition and Jansem’s art were discussed at “Artfocus” by the curators of the exhibition: Vigen Galstyan, head of the exhibition department of the National Gallery, and Nune Tadevosyan, head of the graphics department of the National Gallery.

Honored Ballet Artist Suzanna Pirumyan


Ballet dancer Syuzanna Pirumyan has been an artist of the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet Theater since the age of 18. She has been the theater's leading soloist for about twenty years. For years, she has been involved in the development of Armenian ballet and the education of a new generation. Art critic Anahit Margaryan's guest at "Artfocus" is Honored Artist, ballet dancer Syuzanna Pirumyan.

Hayrik Muradyan 120


Hayrik Muradyan bridged time with his life and work, forming a living connection between generations and transmitting values ​​that shape our identity. A concert dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Hayrik Muradyan, a connoisseur of Armenian song, performer of traditional songs, folklorist and ethnographer, will be held at the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. Anahit Margaryan's guest at "Artfocus" is the president of the "Hayrik Muradyan" NGO, violinist, Narine Delalyan.

Armenia in the spotlight at the Design Biennale


Painting, graphics, photography, industrial, graphic and museum design. These are the directions where Kamo Nigaryan has left his mark. Armenia was in the spotlight at the Saint-Etienne International Design Biennale, held in France from May 22 to July 6. Curator, museologist, scientific secretary of the Museum of Literature and Art Marine Haroyan and one of the curators of the Armenian pavilion at the 13th Saint-Etienne International Design Biennale, founder of the “AHA” collective, art critic Nayiri Khachaturyan spoke about the exhibition and Kamo Nigaryan’s revolutionary approaches to art and museum design at “Artfocus”. The program was hosted by Anahit Margaryan.

Tolerance


What intellectual and spiritual knowledge and preparation is needed to demonstrate tolerance? What is the reason that modern society has become so intolerant, who is a tolerant person? These questions are examined from the perspective of Christian doctrine by Archimandrite Zatik Avetikyan.