Karabakh Painting Symposium Continues Work in Armenia

Applications for participation in the 5th International Painting Symposium "Colors of Dizak" have been launched in Armenia. The first four symposiums were held in Nagorno-Karabakh.

As "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the first symposium "Colors of Dizak" was held in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2017 on the initiative of the Department of Culture and Youth Affairs of the Hadrut District Administration. At the exhibition of the fourth symposium in Stepanakert in July 2021, more than 70 works by 18 artists were presented.

The public organization "Dizak Art" announced the acceptance of applications for participation in the fifth International Painting Symposium "Colors of Dizak", which will be held in September in Armenia.

The organization was created in Armenia in 2020 by the residents of Hadrut (Dizak is the historical Armenian name of the Hadrut region of Nagorno-Karabakh, note from the "Caucasian Knot"). As a result of the 2020 war, the Hadrut region came under the control of Azerbaijan, and its residents became internally displaced persons.

“Three symposiums were held in Hadrut before the 2020 war, as a result of which the Hadrut region was occupied by Azerbaijan. When the organization was registered, it was decided that successful projects should be continued. The fourth symposium was organized in Stepanakert. But after, due to the blockade of Artsakh (the self-name of Nagorno-Karabakh), the forced deportation of the population in 2023 and financial difficulties, holding the fifth symposium became possible only this year. Applications have begun and will last until August 10. 20 artists from Artsakh, Armenia and other countries will be selected. The event will take place in September, for a week, in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia, where the nature resembles Hadrut,” the co-founder of the Dizak Art organization Yerazik Avanesyan told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

The Fifth International Painting Symposium “Colors of Dizak” will be held from September 22 to 28 in Dparabak. The event “unites artists from Armenia and other countries for creative exchange, cultural dialogue and the creation of new works,” the organizers noted in a message on the symposium’s social network page.

Avanesyan added that during the 2020 war, the evacuation of Hadrut residents was sudden, so “it was not possible to take out 170 works made during the first three symposiums.” “The canvases from the 2021 symposium, which is more than 60 works, are in the collection of our organization and are periodically exhibited for visitors. An exhibition is also planned based on the results of the fifth symposium,” she said.

A young artist from Stepanakert Mikhail Khachatryan has already filled out an application to participate in the symposium, as he loves to work en plein air. “I recently graduated, and it is necessary to start a creative career with serious, but at the same time enjoyable events. I decided that if there is an opportunity to work and communicate, then it should be used,” the young artist shared his thoughts.

He added that he lives with his parents and younger brothers, college students, in a rented apartment in Yerevan. To ease the family’s difficulties, he got a job that is far from creative. “That’s why it is important for me to participate in this symposium. "For me, this is an opportunity to show myself and enter the circle of artists," Khachatryan explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Armine Sargsyan from Stepanakert is glad that the "Colors of Dizak" project has been continued: in the conditions of strong competition, "Karabakh artists need support and a platform for implementation," she noted.

"There were not many artists in Artsakh, we knew everyone, their works were constantly exhibited. In Armenia, everyone became internally displaced, unbearable social problems leave no room for creativity. I am the wife of an artist, I know this. Therefore, I welcome any opportunity to create,” said Sargsyan.

She added that she attended all the exhibitions of the “Colors of Dizak” symposium - according to Sargsyan, the events were interesting and the works were of high quality.

“It was especially interesting how foreign artists felt the nature of Artsakh, what details they emphasized in their works. It is a pity that this will not happen again. But if there is an exhibition of works from the fifth symposium, I will definitely go and see it. Perhaps I will find something native from Artsakh there,” the woman told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

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