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“An Armenian Journey”: hope from a shattered city
Published: on 5th August 2009 by the Grace of God in Minster News
A Millennium project by Christians Together in Alnwick (Northumberland) to support the reconstruction of an earthquake-shattered community in Armenia has led to an exhibition of art, “An Armenian Journey”, in York Minster until the 6th September.
In the late 1990s the plight of the shattered city of Spitak, Armenia, which was completely devastated by an earthquake in 1988, inspired the churches of Alnwick to offer support to Family Care and (from 2000) to the Missionaries of Charity who were both involved in providing medical and therapeutic services to the traumatised population.
In particular, Family Care’s Veratsnund (Renaissance or Re-birth) Art School combines opportunities for adults and young people in Spitak to find expression for the huge challenges of their everyday lives with a growing commercial demand for the work they produce.
Veratsnund Art School is the common link between the artists exhibiting in York Minster. Northumberland-based painter Mick Oxley travelled to Spitak as an established artist to teach at Veratsnund, and Arsen Asatryan (paralysed in the earthquake) has built a new life and career as an artist through their work and that of others contributing to the Art School.
For textile artist and retired teacher Jean Darby of Alnwick “An Armenian Journey” is a high point in an on-going relationship with residents of Spitak and those working to rebuild the community there. With her late husband Baz she has been involved with Christians Together in Alnwick’s Spitak project from the beginning, travelling to Armenia initially as a volunteer at the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage. Later she helped initiate a textile group for unemployed women in Spitak, incorporating basic design and management skills to enable them to start their own businesses.
“An Armenian Journey” is a unique glimpse of a relationship born of suffering and compassion as well as shared talent, in the serene and bright setting of northern Europe’s greatest gothic cathedral.
York Minster is open daily (subject to church services). Admission charges apply to York Minster: for details and charges see www.yorkminster.org.