The world should differ the Armenian miniature from the Russian one, and the Armenian ornaments from the Byzantine ones.

International couturiers use our national elements in their collections, but they do not mention that it is an Armenian carpet or embroidery․ “TeryanCultural Center” is doing its best to differ the Armenian miniature from the Russian one, the Armenian ornaments from the Byzantine ones, also to recognize our ethnic culture by us, Armenians, and by the world. In 2017 “Teryan Cultural Center” will present an extraordinary proposal such as tiles with Armenian ornaments. We were talking with Lilit Melikyan, Director of “Teryan Cultural Center” designer, candidate of Art Science, about Armenian-centrical activities of the center.

— “Teryan” Cultural Center has been operating for more than 10 years․The Center was originally established to present and disseminate the legacy left by Vahan Teryan to the public, nevertheless, in recent years, the restoration of Armenian dresses has become the cornerstone of your activity. How did the idea come about?

— The fact that we study the national costume, armenianize its elements, does not require huge sums of money from us. It takes about as much money as a regular fashion designer or stylist needs to create his/her own collection. As an artist-designer, I carry out a job for which there is no need for separate investors. Students studying in our cultural center have the opportunity to sell their works. Personally, I do not treat well people who try to have an “author” initiative, for that purpose they apply to state bodies for financial assistance.

What refers to the legacy of Teryan, we still continue to present it. Our president is specialized in Teryan studies, and I have friendly relations with the owners of Teryan’s main heritage, so I’m doing my best to help our president providing materials. Every year in Javakheti we organize Teryan days, publish books․ In other words, we continue to carry out cultural, literary, educational, publishing, ethnographic, nationalist, scientific, Armenological, dissemination and propaganda activities.

We simply have been recognized with tarazes. They became our visit-card so far. Today, the center unites artists from different fields․ At night you can see dance performances, famous artists. Receiving this basement from the government, we turned it into a place where different artists come together to discuss something. Very often we have been forced to ask our guests to leave because they do not want to go. (Lilit Melikyan smiles).

-Will you elaborate more?

What refers to the legacy of Teryan, we still continue to present it. Our president is specialized in Teryan studies, and I have friendly relations with the owners of Teryan’s main heritage, so I’m doing my best to help our president providing materials. Every year in Javakheti we organize Teryan days, publish books․ In other words, we continue to carry out cultural, literary, educational, publishing, ethnographic, nationalist, scientific, Armenological, dissemination and propaganda activities.

We simply have been recognized with tarazes. They became our visit-card so far. Today, the center unites artists from different fields․ At night you can see dance performances, famous artists. Receiving this basement from the government, we turned it into a place where different artists come together to discuss something. Very often we have been forced to ask our guests to leave because they do not want to go. (Lilit Melikyan smiles).

-Before 70s the countries of all of the word were wearing tarazes. Then they were pushed out of everyday life as European clothes became more demanded. What is the current interest in ethnic culture?

-For each nation the culture of other nation is interesting. We are welcomed with open arms in all countries․ But we did not expect the same enthusiasm and attitude from Armenians. I am Armenian, I live in Armenia, anyway, I never thought of hanging a picture of Masis on the wall of my house․ On the other hand, my brother who was living abroad, he came to Armenia 15 years later and asked me to paint Masis as he was missing it very much. I got to understand what was the feeling of missing. The primitive art became a fantastic thing due to this feeling. For diaspora we are fantastic because we remind their roots, ancestors, migrations centers. People sympathize us, “Teryan Cultural Center”․

— It is so interesting as international couturiers use our national elements in their collections, but do not mention that this is an Armenian carpet or embroidery. The world should know that these miracles are created by this nation․ Making a national brand requires a state program and serious funding․ It is necessary to create a taraz production. It is impossible for me yet to create brand of “Taraz Art”. I am ready to dedicate the organization to the person who will bring the idea to life, and I will remain as an artistic director․ The culture is for everybody. Let’s make our nation known together, so the world will differ the Armenian miniature from the Russian one, and the Armenian ornaments from the Byzantine one.

-What are your plans for the future?

-We will have an exhibition soon in USA and Russia. We will present Parajanov’s art in the Museum of the Armenian Church in Moscow according the artists of “Teryan” Cultural Center.

We also work on a project. Many people think that Armenian interior consist only of rugs and churn․ In 2017 we will present modern interior of tiles with Armenian ornaments. There are Byzantine or Greco-Roman patterns in the monochromatic tiles all over Armenia․ We can recognize the national one instead if them. It is another matter that we have not had a demand for it so far, maybe we have avoided it․ We will offer it.