The Gyumri Branch of Yerevan State
Academy of Fine Arts was founded in the year of
1997. The rector of Yerevan State Academy of
Fine Arts Professor Aram Isabekian and Svetlana
Gevorgian met the foundation with great
enthusiaism. It was them by whose efforts the
educational procedure was organized.
The director of the branch Hambartsoum Ghukasian
gathered around his personality the best artists
and sculpturers, who at the beginning had to
take care both for material-technical grounds of
the college, for lecturing and for their own
creating.
In 1997 the branch had three departments:
painting, graphic arts, sculpture. The number of
the students was seven. They there those
talanted young man, who for lasting years
dreamed of studying in the Academy of Fine Arts.
In 2001 the branch was completed with Decorative
Applied Arts/Potter's Art and Folk Crafts
sections, with its focus on Fashion and Textile
Design and Coloured Metal Development
professions.
In 2003 Sewing and Color Metal Development
labaratory was created.
In 2004 with the means provided by Alek
Manoukian fund, in the roof part of the building
new auditoriums were built.
In 2006 computer class room/laboratory was
opened in the branch.
In 2007 the creation of History and Theory of
Fine Arts department becomes the achievment of
the institute.
The higher educational establishment has kin
relations and ties with Cultural Section of
Viena Municipality. Thanks to them the library
of the college is being filled with fresh
literature.
The college takes part in all cultural events of
the town. It regularly organizes exhibitions in
Armenia and abroad, exsists as curator and
active participant of Gyumri Contemporary Art
Centre/ GCAC.
Today the higher educational establishment has
more than 200 students, young and talanted
professional personnel and multiple projects. |
The Gyumri branch of Yerevan Fine Arts Academy
celebrated its 10th anniversary on December 21,
2007 at the Hoktember movie theater in Gyumri,
Armenia. Republic of Armenia Education and
Science Minister Levon Mkrtchian, Rector of
Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts Aram
Isabekian, AGBU Armenian Representation Director
Ashot Ghazarian, other officials, local
authorities, and representatives of higher
educational institutions were present at the
festive celebration.
Coinciding with the celebration was the opening
of an exhibition of various works, including
fine arts, graphics, sculptures, ornaments, and
textile designs, by academy students in the
halls of the institute. Also on exhibit in the
nearby Aslamazian Sisters Hall were art works by
academy professors.
"This building was renovated by the funds
provided by 'Hayastan' All-Armenian Fund, AGBU
and the money raised by the people during the
pilgrimage of composer Loris Tjeknavorian to
Gyumri in 1991." This sentence is inscribed on
the plaque at the entrance of the building
unofficially called the Academy of Fine Arts,
which houses the Gyumri branches of three state
art institutions of Yerevan: the Yerevan Fine
Arts Academy, the Yerevan Conservatory and the
Yerevan Institute of Movie and Theater. This
educational center, which started with less than
10 students a decade ago, today has 192
specialists in six departments.
"I'm very glad that the building, which
resembled a pile of stones back in 1994,
breathes today and creates art. It reflects the
soul of the people of Gyumri – fine arts, music
and theater. These are things that have always
been strongly characteristic of the people of
Gyumri and have fed our culture. I remember the
days when this building was half-ruined and a
sign on it said, 'An arts academy will be built
here.' People used to bring their children here
even before it was fully built. And I remember
once I heard a woman saying, 'My child will
study here.' Thank God, AGBU had the opportunity
of investing here and establishing this cultural
center," said Ghazarian.
"We are so happy," said Isabekian. "The
establishment of this department, as well as the
other two, was of vital importance back in the
1990's. The atmosphere in Gyumri after the
disastrous earthquake was very depressing,
people felt abandoned. And even though there
were a lot of other unsolved issues then, time
proved that the establishment of such a cultural
center was a very right decision. It brought
enthusiasm to the city, to the youth. And today
we have a beautiful 10-year-old cultural center.
I want to mention with admiration about our
lecturers working in Gyumri, amazing painters,
wonderful people, who organized all this work,
who overcame all the difficulties. And
certainly, I would like to underscore the great
contribution of the Armenian General Benevolent
Union in all this."
Armenian Representation Director Ashot Ghazarian,
Yerevan Academy of Fine Arts Rector Aram
Isabekian, Rector of Gyumri Pedagogic Institute
Vardevan Grikorian, Yerevan Fine Arts Academy
Gyumri branch Director Hambardzum Ghukassian,
and the Republic of Armenia's Education Minister
Levon Mkrtchian tour the art exhibition at the
10th-anniversary celebration of the Gyumri
branch of the Yerevan Fine Arts Academy on
December 21, 2007. |