Public Art
2024
In July 2024, ICA and ArtNexus announced an open call for the 'Creation of Public Art Works' competition to create public art works in several regions of Armenia. As part of this project, we have offered artists a platform and resources to create enduring works in these communities and introduce new meanings and artistic symbols.
For the installation of public art works, ICA obtained the preliminary permission of the municipal governments of the following places: Vardablur, Gyulagarak, Kurtan villages and Stepanavan city (Gyulagarak community, Lori region). The winning artists are: Narek Hayrapetyan, Manvel Matevosyan and Sasun Margaryan.
On October 19, the opening of the sculpture “The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs” by Narek Hayrapetyan, one of the three winning artists of the “Creation of Public Art Works” competition took place in the village of Vardablur. The event was inspired by the poem of the same name by Hovhannes Tumanyan, based on a folk tale. It is known that Tumanyan wrote down more than 60 versions of the tale during his life, of which he heard “the oldest and the best” in the village of Vardablur.
The event began with the opening of Grigor Khachatryan's installation "Whispering Statues" near the town hall of the village of Vardablur, then the opening of the sculpture of Narek Hayrapetyan took place, after which the Charentsavan chamber choir "Kamerton" performed in the church of Saint Astsvatsatsin, after which the guests took part in an open class of national dances led by the team of Vanadzor Real School.
The event began with the opening of Grigor Khachatryan's installation "Whispering Statues" near the town hall of the village of Vardablur, then the opening of the sculpture of Narek Hayrapetyan took place, after which the Charentsavan chamber choir "Kamerton" performed in the church of Saint Astsvatsatsin, after which the guests took part in an open class of national dances led by the team of Vanadzor Real School.
Narek Hayrepetyan is a contemporary Armenian sculptor concerned with time, temporality, and issues of “modernity,” which determine the ideological and stylistic aspects of his work.
The opening of the public art works of Sasun Margaryan and Manvel Matevosyan will take place soon.
The program is implemented with the support of the ArtNexus programme, which is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and managed by The Swedish Arts Grants Committee.