Dilijan Arts Observatory, the international research project, has been launched to host activities of many hand artists, cultural experts and environmental specialists from all over the world.
The project is supported by Adibekyan Family Foundation for Advancement. Dilijan Arts Observatory aimsatfindingnewapproachesinarts and university education in the Armenian town of Dilijan. This is the first significant international cultural event in Armenia within the framework of Dilijan Art Initiative.
From 22 August to 11 September, Dilijan Arts Observatory will host activities of hand artists, cultural experts and environmental specialists from all over the world. The project is supported by art patrons Ruben Vardanyan and Veronica Zonabend who are founders of RVVZ and IDeA charity funds and co-founders of DDF fund, and Gagik Adibekyan, who is co-founder of DDF fund and founder of Adibekyan Family Foundation for Advancement.
Dilijan Arts Observatory project was elaborated by Clementine Deliss, Ph.D., museum supervisor, anthropologist and research officer of Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.
As part of Dilijan Arts Observatory activities, arts theorists and makers will join their efforts for a field survey involving local public and aiming at finding and depicting local folk traditions. Observatory will run surveys in Dilijan and nearby communities, while the project headquarters will be situated in the building of the former Impulse military factory, which is a Soviet architectural landmark.
During the weekend on 10 to 11 September, Dilijan will host a public event featuring the survey’s findings in an artistic manner. Various performances will include a nightly symphony concert, culinary celebrations, performances by artists, exhibitions, and an international round table on the future creation of an academy of arts and traditions.
The Dilijan Arts Observatory’s findings will be also presented in the major European museums: Berlin National Modern Art Gallery in November 2017 and the Paris Centre Georges Pompidou in summer 2018.
Gagik Adibekyan, founder of Adibekyan Family Foundation for Advancement, said: “Two years ago Dilijan became a new education centre in Armenia, acknowledged all over the world. Today this ancient town is also becoming an arts and cultural centre. Its first project will host hand artists, historians and researchers from 14 countries. We are glad that our every step in developing Dilijan means creating unique, socially minded projects and engaging talented artists from all over the world. This means that this town has a splendid future”.
Veronica Zonabend, founder of IDeA fund, said: “Dilijan Arts Observatory is another project by IDeA and Dilijan Development Foundation, aimed at cultural upgrading of the town through education. The Observatory events in Dilijan will include master classes, lectures and interdisciplinary research projects. Dilijan Arts Observatory will host experts in various areas from many countries. Each of them has enough expertise to be a perfect match for Armenia’s age-old culture. I will be waiting edgily for the public presentation of the findings of this significant interdisciplinary survey”.