Shushi Art Project and Naregatsi Art Institute Collaboration

On October 14th, 2012 the whole concert program of the “Shushi Art Project” closing ceremony was entrusted to “Naregatsi” Folk Instruments Ensemble, where the ensemble presented their new concert program prepared for the upcoming European tour. The ensemble had the concert at a very symbolic place, in one of the first publishing houses of Transcaucasia in the 19th century, which was renovated and was recently opened as Shushi Art Gallery.

“The participation of Naregatsi Art Institute in the “Shushi Art Project" was symbolic, because the educational and cultural contribution of the center founded by Nareg Hartounian was the first venture in Shushi, which is of greatest importance for Artsakh. I'm sure this effective cooperation will be continuative and I am grateful to these talented young people for such a beautiful concert”, - so was characterized the ensemble's participation in the project by Lilit Sargsyan, "Shushi Art Project" curator.

The concert was not the only one, since the ensemble's children, as a nice gift bridging the contemporary and the traditional, had also performed on the opening day of the project, thus standing alongside such artists as Harry Vorperian, A. Avakian, Hamlet Hovsepian, Sahak Poghosyan, Charlie Khachaturian, Ara Oshagan, Samvel Saghatelyan, Aleksey Manukyan, Kiki, Chala, Eva Sargsyan, G. Ghazanchyan, Mary Moon, Harutyun Zulumyan, Vachagan Ter-Sargsyan, Susan Khardalyan and the others.

"Shushi Art Project" was held from October 1 to 14, 2012 in two rounds. In the period of October 1-4 the artists worked on the preparation of their work. On October 3rd the outdoor performances of the artists were held at different areas in the city of Shushi, later the created works along with the screened series of films, were presented in the exposition of the project. The project is based on the idea of working with the land, as the key milestone of the initiative is to achieve the vision of inner-Armenian and international dialogue through raising local issues.

The topography the project is based on this concept, as it has included almost all the historical monuments and buildings of Shushi. Naregatsi Art Institute Shushi center, having an utmost important role in the cultural life of the city, hosted a number of activities and meetings within the project.