Henrik Edoyan: Why poetry?


From "Reflections" published in 1977 to the latest collection "A View from Nowhere" published in 2024, the creative process of poet Henrik Edoyan stretches. How does the perception of poetry change over time, how does the poet change over time and does he change at all? On the occasion of the poet's 85th birthday, literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan and Henrik Edoyan talk about these issues in the "Parallel Readings" program.

Birth and Farewell according to Hovhannes Grigoryan


The humor and self-irony characteristic of his poetry are always mixed with tragedy. His poems are loved by different generations of readers. On the occasion of Hovhannes Grigoryan's 80th birthday, his birthday and farewell poems are discussed in parallel by Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.

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.

"Golden Apricot" 2025


For more than 20 years, the Golden Apricot has been the region's most influential and internationally recognized film festival. It screens films that represent the emotions, actions, and lives of people of different nations and faiths. Art critic Anahit Margaryan spoke with Karen Avetisyan, the artistic director of the Golden Apricot Film Festival, in Artfocus.

The messages of the epic "Sasna Tsrer"


What messages does the most significant work of Armenian folklore, “The Sasna Tsrer,” convey? How does the perception of the epic change over time? What did the people who created it encode in the epic, and how does it encode us today? Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan debate these topics on the “Parallel Readings” program.

Samvel Safaryan


Samvel Safaryan was wounded three times in one day. Samvel was serving in the military in the village of Shekher, Martuni region of Artsakh, his birthplace, when the war began. The young commander was in positions with 4 snipers under his command. He was wounded for the first time while observing an enemy trench, when Azerbaijani soldiers attacked his trench and threw grenades. At that time, Samvel's right hand was wounded, the second time on the way to the hospital, and the third time in the head.

The Transient and the Permanent in Gabriel Sundukyan's Dramaturgy


The themes addressed in Gabriel Sundukyan’s plays, although they may seem outdated today, continue to be one of the most staged Armenian playwrights. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Gabriel Sundukyan’s birth, literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss the peculiarities of G. Sundukyan’s dramaturgy in the program “Parallel Readings.”

The National Gallery after renovation


The National Gallery officially reopened on April 15 with a new look, modern solutions and diverse programs. The renovation began in 2021. The ventilation systems were changed and modernized, new elevators were installed, and the museum's exposition was changed. In parallel, other branches of the gallery were renovated. Anahit Margaryan spoke with Vigen Galstyan, head of the exhibition department of the National Gallery, about the changes taking place in the National Gallery and the development of the museum.

Literature that brings heroes home, part 1


Homecoming is one of the key themes of Armenian and world literature. In literary and folklore works, the motives of heroes returning home and their perceptions of home are different. The motifs of homecoming in Armenian medieval literature, folklore, and also in new literature were discussed in the program “Parallel Readings” by literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.

Educational programs of the Ayb "Rockers" orchestra


The educational concert of the Ayb School's "Rockers" orchestra on the theme "Visual Art in Rock" will take place at the Puppet Theater. The orchestra will perform works that represent the interaction of fine arts and rock culture. The upcoming concert and the topic of in-depth art education in general schools were discussed at "Artfocus" by Vahagn Papayan and Erik Aloyan, heads of the Ayb School's project-based learning club "Rockers".

French literature in Armenian


Armenian translations of French literature are a unique segment in the Armenian translation field. When and how did translations of French literature begin, what was their process, what and why is being translated from French today? Literary scholars Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss these questions in the “Parallel Readings” program.

Faith


What is faith, how can it be manifested in daily behavior, what is the content of the Creed recited during the liturgy? Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan speaks on this.