Memory of Russia and the World: The exhibition "Armenia by Mandelstam. Photos of Armenia of the early XX century", dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the poet, in St. Petersburg

The State Museum and Exhibition Centre ROSPHOTO (St. Petersburg) and the Museum of History of Armenia (Yerevan) from September 9, 2016 present the exhibition "Armenia by Mandelstam. Photos of Armenia the early XX century" dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the poet.

The exhibition presents more than eighty prints from original glass negatives stored in the collections of the Museum of History of Armenia in Yerevan. The pictures were taken at the beginning of the twentieth century during the archeological excavations of the Imperial Archaeological Commission in Ani cities (the castle and fortress of the V-VIII centuries, with the X-XIII centuries - The capital of Armenia, the largest economic and cultural center) and Van (the first capital of the Armenian kingdom based orontid dynasty dynasty in the VI century BC). The expedition led by Academician Nikolai Yakovlevich Marr included well-known Armenian scientists and photographers.

Photographs depicting the historical and architectural monuments of Western and Eastern Armenian of IV-XVII centuries, are the only evidence of the unique cultural heritage, completely or partially destroyed by time or during the dramatic events of the beginning of XX century.

Great idea to combine in a single art project beautiful, full of historical and artistic context of the visual images of monuments of Armenian architecture, and deep, vivid poetic images "Armenia" cycle of poems Osip Mandelstam belongs to Anelka Grigoryan, who worked for many years with these materials in the Museum of History of Armenia. The project is presented to the viewer 125 year anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian poet and completes a series of commemorative activities dedicated to the memory of the tragic events in the history of the Armenian people.