Sergei Parajanov museum, Yerevan. Author Eema97. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Parajanov Museum


 

It was founded in 1988 by Sergey Parajanov’s and is one of the most popular museums in Yerevan is open seven days a week from 10.30 a.m. till 5.00 p.m. and . Parajanov’s was a Soviet Armenian film director and artist who made significant donations to Soviet cinematography through Armenian, Ukrainian, and Georgian cinema. He invented his own cinematic style, which was totally out of step with the guiding principles of socialist realism.

The museum uses art and exposition principles of Parajanov himself. Due to the 1988 Armenian earthquake and socio-economic problems, the museum was opened only in June 1991, one year after Parajanov’s death.

1. It Is Known For Its Unique Exhibitions And Cultural Publications

Located in the center of Yerevan, it is famous for its unique exhibitions and cultural publications. To date, it has organized about 50 exhibitions in Moscow, Hollywood, Cannes, Athens, Tokyo, Rome, and Tehran.

It has also been visited by many famous and worldwide people. Among them were Vladimir Putin, Paulo Coelho,  Atom Egoyan, Wim Wenders, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Nikita Mikhalkov, Yevgeni Yevtushenko, Donald Knuth, Mikhail Vartanov,  Valdas Adamkus, Tonino Guerra, Enrica Antonioni, Arnold Rüütel, Tarja Halonen among others.

2. It Is A Traditional Caucasian-Style Building

The Museum is impressive in many ways. Of particular interest is that it consists of two floors and has a traditional Caucasian-style building with recreated memorial rooms, original posters.

There are also signed letters by Federico Fellini, Lilya Brik, Andrey Tarkovsky, Mikhail Vartanov, and Yuri Nikulin, festival prizes, gifts by famous visitors Tonino Guerra, Vladimir Putin and Roman Balayan, who is the author of “A Night at Paradganov’s Museum” film.

3. It Exhibits The Best Copies Of The Director’s Work

The museum exhibits the best copies of the director’s work. This amazing collection includes not only his pictures, sketches for films, documents and his personal things, but also handmade collages, dolls, ceramics and much more.

His imagination, especially when it comes to films, is difficult to understand until you penetrate and look at art with the eyes of the genius. Considering collages and dolls sometimes you wonder how one can create such a unique masterpiece from rubbish and all sorts of knickknacks. Currently, the museum has more than 1,400 exhibits.

 4. It Was Awarded The Status “Treasure of European Film Culture”

The Museum is a stone building with wooden balconies like those found in Tbilisi. It overlooks the city, and Mount Ararat can be seen in the distance. On the side of the building is a picture of filmmaker Sergei Parajanov, marking the museum that was recently awarded the status “Treasure of European Film Culture” by the European Film Academy.

5. Founded During The Dark Years Of Revolution

It is a tribute to Soviet Armenian director and artist Sergei Parajanov. He was considered one of the most popular film directors from the Soviet Union.  Founded in the cold and dark years of revolution, without electricity, parallel to Karabakh war, in the times of destroying everything around, when people were starving and throughout freezing winters without fire, and warm atmosphere in cold rooms.

The founder solely managed to see plastered rooms of the museum built for him in Yerevan, although the idea of the very museum in Armenia belonged to him. For the tourists visiting Armenia and visiting Parajanov Museum is not only a primary desire, but, very frequently, the very purpose of visiting Armenia.

6. Location For The Museum Was Chosen By Karen Demirchyan

The territory for Parajanov’s future museum was chosen by Karen Demirchyan. Dzoragyugh is one of the oldest districts in Yerevan. There were earthen houses with flat roofs, gradually gliding to Hrazdan River, which had a very nice view. Although in the 60s the houses collapsed as a result of rains and landslides, and the population was moved to other settlements.

Painter Grigor Khanjyan and distinguished artist Vanik Sharamberyan were convincing Karen Demirchyan to establish a new ethnographic district named Dzoragyugh to renovate old houses with flat roofs and allocate them to painters, jewelers, artists, locksmiths and others. This led to creation of a new district where Parajanov Museum was allocated.

 7. The Best Part Of The Whole Museum Is The Mona Lisa Collages

The best part of the whole museum is his Mona Lisa collages. The actual Mona Lisa is, in the opinion of some people, kind of overrated. I don’t know what Parajanov thought of it, but I do know at least that he thought he could make it better. Imagine looking at one of the most celebrated works of art and thinking, “That’s nice, I could make it even nicer.” And then he did. Eleven times.

8. Know Before You Go

The Museum is very well known locally. However, it is on Small Street just off a main drag, so, unless your Armenian is splendid, be sure you have a clear idea of where you are going.

And remember, all Armenian names on this page (including street names) are written in an anglicized script, but if you can show a good samaritan the picture of the plaque, they’ll probably know exactly where you should go.

9. It Represents The Geographic Fluidity And Complexity Of The Armenian Diaspora

While Parajanov may seem like an esoteric subject for his own museum, there may be no finer example of the geographic fluidity and complexity of the Armenian diaspora than an Armenian filmmaker born in what is now Georgia, and who made major films in what is now the Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and whose museum is in the capital of a sovereign Armenia.

10. The Museum Is Filled With Artefacts Dating Back To The 12TH Or 13TH Century

The Museum is filled with artifacts, and there are also remnants of the thermal baths inside! The baths were covered with rubble for years, but were rediscovered in the 12th or 13th century. They have been preserved since then, and now make up a portion of the museum. You can also see the remains of the “cold baths,” or, the frigidarium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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