Russian art exhibit opens at Cafesjian Center

Published: Saturday March 03, 2012

This painting by Mikhail Vrubel is part of the exhibit.

Yerevan - Spring Motifs: A Selection from the Collection of the Museum of Russian Art exhibition opened at Sasuntsi Davit Garden Gallery of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts on March 1.

The exhibition presents 24 paintings from the reserves of the Museum of Russian Art of Armenia (Aram Abrahamyan Collection), united by the theme of women portraits and flowers, conveying the spirit of spring.

The cheerful tonality of the exhibition inspires the hope for the better, associated with the spring, the return of the sun and warmth. The intimate, in camera feeling imparted by the artworks bear the imprint of the personal taste of the collector, his own preferences in art. At the same time, the exposition bears emblematic significance as it presents the major artists of the late 19th and early 20th century as well as of the Soviet era, presenting such major artists as Mikhail Vrubel, Eghishe Tadevosyan, Evgeny Lancere and others.

The exhibition is a joint undertaking of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts and the Museum of Russian Art of Armenia and marks the launch of intermuseum cooperation program by the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

"Loyal to its mission of bringing the best of world's art to Armenia and presenting the best of Armenian culture to the world, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, through such joint exhibitions presented in the Center's state-of-the-art galleries, will encourage the public to rediscover its cultural heritage and provide its sister museums with added visibility in the international community. I am positive that this innovative collaboration with the Museum of Russian Art will make it more accessible for the art-loving community - both during this exhibition and after its closure", stated Vahagn Marabyan, the Acting Executive Director of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

"One can hardly view it as incidental that the very first examples of the intermuseum cooperation presents the Museum of Russian Art. The Cafesjian Center for the Arts and the Museum of Russian Art obviously have a lot in common.

In particular, both Museums are established on the basis of private collections, donated by two great benefactors, Aram Abrahamyan and Gerard L. Cafesjian, to their historical motherland. The biographies of these two patriots are completely different, yet among the human qualities that unite them - the reverence for art and for Armenia comes as the first and foremost. This is what guided them in this action of utmost patriotism", noted the Director of the Museum of Russian Art Anush Ter-Minasyan.

The Sasuntsi Davit Garden Gallery will open its doors to Russian art lovers at 10.00 on March 1.

Throughout the first day of the exhibition the admission to the gallery will be free. The exhibition will last till May 20, 2012.

ArmenTel becomes first corporate member of Cafesjian Center for the Arts

ArmenTel company (Beeline trademark) became the first corporate member of Cafesjian Center for the Arts. During the award ceremony on February 25 the Acting Executive Director of the Center Vahagn Marabyan granted to the ArmenTel CEO Igor Klimko a certificate of Benefactor level of corporate membership in acknowledgment for the company's support of the CCA's educational and children's programs over 2011.

"The Corporate Membership Program of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts has recently been launched to provide various privileges to the Center's corporate partners, depending on their membership level. Today we welcome ArmenTel, the first corporate member of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. The corporate membership certificate we grant today will ensure privileges to the company's staff to visit the exhibitions and events of the Center, thus allowing incorporating art and culture into the business life of our partner. In this way we do not only acknowledge the support provided by our partner, but also state our readiness for continue the mutually beneficial partnership", stated Vahagn Marabyan.

On his behalf, the CEO of ArmenTel Igor Klimko stated his appreciation for the children's programs, administered at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. "For a moment, each of the participants became an artist, and this was a very valuable feeling for all of us", he stressed.

In the course of 2011, six educational programs have been administered at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, with the support of ArmenTel Company accommodating over five thousand participants. These include Creativity and Imagination, Op-Art: Permutations of Color and Shape, the Easter program and other workshops for children and adolescents.

The Cafesjian Center for the Arts (CCA) is dedicated to bringing the best of contemporary art to Armenia and presenting the best of Armenian culture to the world. Inspired by the vision of its founder, Mr. Gerard L. Cafesjian, the Center offers a wide variety of exhibitions, derived from Mr. Cafesjian's own extensive collection of contemporary art. Having celebrated its grand opening in November 2009, CCA continues to exhibit unique works of modern art and offers a diverse program of visiting lecturers, films, concerts, and numerous educational initiatives for children and adults.