Armenian, Georgian artists re-establish ties (photos)

Georgia born Armenian businessman and benefactor Sos Sahakyan has purchased Old Tblisi, a canvas by the renowned Georgian painter, Giovani Vepkhvadze, in an effort to help re-establish the ties between Armenian and Georgian artists.

“At an exhibition of Georgian-Armenian painters held at the Union of Artists yesterday, I saw that picturs which features the St Bethlehem Church, so we decided that I should get the canvas immediately from the author,” Sahakyan told Tert.am.

Commenting on the canvass, Vepkhadze, who has Armenian roots, said he always portrays his native city, which he doesn’t imagine without the Armenian culture.

“An Armenian house in old Tbilisi had a Georgian shop next to it. As a Georgian painter of Armenian descent, I never imagine the Armenian culture without Tbilisi either,” he said, adding that he had given one of his canvasses to celebrated French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour who visited the country in August.

President of the Union of Artists Karen Aghamyan, the Georgian -Armenian businessman and the Georgian painter agreed on Thursday over steps to boost the creative activeness of the Georgian-Armenian artists.

Sahakyan is in close cooperation with the Tbilisi-based Armenian cultural center Hayartun, which operates under the Georgian-Armenian Diocese. He has also had his contribution to the opening and activities of Akhaltskhe’s Union of Armenian Artists, which now has over 30 members.