News
2012 April 20, Friday 19:00
Guided by its long established mission to incorporate people with disabilities into the Armenian artistic context; to create a space and equal opportunities for their free expression and artistic potential; and to expose their talent and artistic capacities to the wider public, on April 20, the Naregatsi Art Institute Yerevan Auditorium was the host to a special solidarity event, “Embracing the Disabled,” comprised of a classical, spiritual and folk music concert featuring predominantly performers with disabilities, and an exhibition of fine arts and sculpture, again comprised of visual artworks made by artists with special needs and the physically challenged. A token of appreciation of the Naregatsi’s efforts, His Excellency John A. Heffern, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia, took part in the event, and was our guest of honor.
By initiating the event, the Naregatsi Art Institute seeks to convey that nobody’s personal circumstances should ever constitute an insurmountable barrier to inclusion and to the solidarity we owe to each other; and ensure thereby that we are unswerving in our efforts to defend the value of human diversity and our fight against exclusion based on any type of personal difference.
This being the case, on the night of the event the Naregatsi Art Institute donated two manual wheelchairs for primary mobility to two artists with spinal chord disorders. A third battery powered electric wheelchair being contributed kindly by handicapped businessman Mr. Antranig Boghossian, was donated to the talented young female painter Monika Sahakyan, who, due to serious injuries in her spine, has a limited upper body strength and limitations in her daily activities. Zigzag LLC handed over 4 wheelchairs and 4 crutches to disabled artists. On behalf of Individual Laura Elbakyan, one wheelchair was handed to Hamest Mkrtchyan, a student at the Shogh creative center for supporting people with special needs. And the Children of Armenia Fund provided 2 crutches and painting supplies, which were allocated to the Tsil Busus Children's Harmonious Development Center. Special surprises were also in store for the Paros Choir of the People with Disabilities and the pianist Levon Karapetyan with visual impairments.
The initiative was designed to be an open platform for anyone solicitous about the wellbeing and prosperity of people with special needs and willing thereby to make contributions, be it a wheelchair, a walker stick, stationary or any other item, in their support. Contribution which was donated publically, better yet by the contributors themselves, to yet another individual in need of such material support and moral encouragement.
The concert program of the event was comprised of performances by the Naregatsi Folk Instruments Ensemble and the Paros Choir of Performers with Disabilities, pianist Levon Karapetyan, and vocalists Tsovinar Boghossian and Aleksandr Zhukov with featured piano accompaniments by pianist Artur Harutyunyan.
The core of the exhibition was comprised of sculptures by businessman Antranik Boghossian who, as mentioned above, had donated an electric wheelchair to be contributed to the young painter Monika Sahakyan. The exhibition also featured paintings by different artists with disabilities affiliated to the Bridge of Hope NGO, the "Prkutyun" Center for Disabled Children and Youth, the “Tsil Busats” Harmonious Development Center, the “Shogh” Creative Center of Support for People with Disabilities, and the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center
Being the only art institution in Yerevan with wheelchair accessibility, the Naregatsi Art Institute team has always been relentless in their efforts towards combating discrimination based on disability. By organizing annually, among other activities, at least 10 concerts and 10 exhibitions featuring performers and visual artists with disabilities; by giving people with physical disabilities equal opportunities of employment at the center, and by keeping constant collaborations with disability organizations and centers such as the Skarp, the Pilatelpia, the Paros, the Bridge of Hope, the UNISON and others, the Naregatsi Art Institute has always tried to promote their integration, their sense of dignity and unalienable right of equality.
These ongoing efforts exerted by the Institute have resonated the appreciation and high acclaim of the Armenian government through a Prime Minister’s Medal awarded to the Institute in 2010 in recognition of the Naregatsi’s contributions targeted at the social integration of the people with special needs. These effort have also received the acclaim of Baroness Caroline Cox, Vice Speaker of the British House of Lords, who stated at an occasion: “Armenia has not been pretty good at incorporating people with disabilities yet, and you set an example there to make the people with disabilities to come to realize their potential, to enjoy the creativity of involvement in art. …I have nothing but admiration and appreciation.”
Admission to the concert of the Embracing the Disabled event was with invitation, while the entry to the exhibition, on view until April 30, was free.
