On September 26, 2015 on the occasion of the Blessing of the Holy Chrism in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the “ARMENIAN ARTISTS OF GEORGIA AT SAINT ETCHMIADZIN” Exhibition was held in the Cultural Center named after Komitas in the city of Vagharshapat, on the initiative of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia and the City Hall of Vagharshapat, with the support of the “Hayartun” Center and the Union of Armenian Artists of Georgia. In attendance were the clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and guests from Yerevan and Tbilisi and local art enthusiasts. The visitors had an opportunity to see the artworks of the modern Armenian artists from Georgia, who continue the traditions of the greats of the Tbilisi School (of fine art). Irena Ohanjanova, Tengiz Mikoyants, Giovanni Vepkhvadze, Merouzhan Shahumyan, Karlen Karapetyan, Haykazun Gharagulyan and other talented artists from Tbilisi and Javakheti, as well as other artists born in Georgia, Mayis Mkhitaryan, Zuleika Bazhbeuk-Melikova, Artyom Melik-Azariants and Father Archimandrite Nerses Khalatyan from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin presented their artworks at the exhibition.

Paintings of 25 artists exhibited in a large hall were of different themes and styles and had a rich palette. At the opening, the Mayor of Vagharshapat, Karen Grigoryan and the Director of the “Hayartun” Center, Levon Chidilyan appreciated highly this cooperation which aimed to introduce the artworks of the representatives of two different societies to each other. They also praised the participation of the artists form Javakheti.

The organizers of the exhibition, the President of the Union of Armenian Artists of Georgia, Merouzhan Shahumyan and the Coordinator of the Cultural Center named after Komitas in Vagharshapat, Nerses Melikyan announced that within few days the “Hayartun” Center will host a similar exhibition of the artworks of artists from the city of Vagharshapat.

At the end of the event the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan blessed the people present and expressed words of appreciation to the City Hall of Vagharshapat and the Mayor who personally supported the organization of the exhibition. His Grace also noted the importance of the development of the cultural dialogue between two counties and the prevalence of beauty, love and kindness over evil.

The visitors watched more than 50 exhibited paintings with great interest.