A Cave Art Gallery

2 minute(s) ·  November 7, 2024

Painter Jirayr Martirosyan has transformed an ancient cave into a vibrant art gallery, creating a resilient cultural hub for the town’s artists despite border tensions.

For centuries, the ancient caves in Goris, Armenia, have provided refuge; today, one is a unique art gallery thanks to local painter Jirayr Martirosyan. Martirosyan cleaned and renovated a cave to display his work, transforming it into an intimate cultural spot that resonates with the town’s mountainous, stone-walled landscape. Goris’s art scene, though challenged by its border location and ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan tensions, continues to thrive. Martirosyan, who fought in the 2020 conflict, has inspired a community of resilient artists like Marine Dalunc, who maintain hope amid conflict, and young talents like Mane Minasyan, who will soon hold her first exhibition in partnership with Vienna. 

Martirosyan, who served in the 2020 Artsakh war, is part of a resilient community of artists dedicated to keeping Goris’s cultural spirit alive. He mentors younger artists, including Mane Minasyan, a 21-year-old art student preparing for her first exhibition, inspired by her hometown’s partnership with Vienna. Goris State University’s art department, established with Martirosyan’s influence, also helps develop local talent. Cultural leaders like Armine Hovakimyan, who heads the municipality’s art department, emphasize the value of arts in maintaining hope and identity, seeing art as both a creative outlet and a vital part of Goris’s future. Through these collective efforts, Goris emerges not just as a border city but as a vibrant center for Armenian art and resilience.