Epress.am News from Armenia
The first project of the joint initiative between Yerevan City Hall and the “Smile, Yerevan” program — a mosaic reproduction of Armenian artist Martiros Saryan’s “My Yard” — was unveiled today at 36 Moskovyan in the Armenian capital. Saryan’s 1923 masterpiece was recreated in its entirety on the side of a residential building. The artists, architects and entrepreneurs behind the “Smile, Yerevan” program first approached the municipality 3 months ago for a unique solution to repairing exposed sides of buildings and received city hall’s technical and partly financial assistance.
The “Smile, Yerevan” team asserts that the project has both aesthetic and strategic significance. Through beautifying the city, Armenian fine art is exhibited to Yerevan residents and visitors to the capital.
“Prior to covering buildings with mosaics, the group of artists first propose and discuss sketches. Chosen are those images that are consistent with the local theme or have the potential to provide the right large-scale solution. Then, after city hall’s approval, the work of gathering the mosaics begins. This is the first, but I assure you, not the last [project] — moreover, there are many unsightly building walls in the capital,” said Yerevan’s chief designer Gaga Amatuni.
The artwork on the State Music College named after Romanos Melikyan at the corner of Mashtots Ave. and Amiryan St. (depicting a conductor and musical notes) as well as the work on the residential buildings at the corner of Hanrapetuyan St. (Alaverdi) and Tpagrichner (“publishers”) St. will be completed by the end of this month.