World history: St. Petersburg holds “Armenia far and close” exhibition

An exhibition called “Armenia far and close” is opening on March 10 2011 at the State Museum of History of Religion (St. Petersburg).

The exhibition brings into focus the history and culture of the Armenians in Russia. The exposition features unique exhibits spanning 18th – beginning 21st cc. from museum’s collection and works by the famous Moscow photographer Ivan Dementiyevsky. The exhibition begins with Ivan Dementiyevsky’s “photo tour” to a “far” Armenia and then a visit to the “close” Armenia, which shows modern life of the Armenian community in St. Petersburg.

At the core of the exhibition are exhibits from the collection of the Museum of History of Religion, which cast the light on the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The exposition showcases 120 exhibits – icons, paintings, church utensils, vestments, and archival documents.