Armenia » Section of Countries and Regions

Red Hail... because it Never Ends

Armenian contemporary scenography has eliminated the idea that scenography is solely a part of a performance. Scenography has liberated itself from all kinds of bondage to become a completely new direction within contemporary art. The ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory focuses on discovering and developing Armenian contemporary scenography. Our project for PQ'15 fully emobides the idea of liberated scenography. We have chosen “Music Weather” (Music Weather Politics being the main themes for the Section of Countries and Regions), as this subject best reflects the core essence of our project. The Red Hail contemporary scenography installation results from the interaction of Bodil Biørn documentary series Some Little Armenian Girls with Their Dolls and the contemporary music of Tigran Hamasyan. The music is a metaphorical expression of the children’s never-ending games depicted in the photographs.

The weather resulting from the children’s games is diffused all around the space. Space where time has stopped and only infinite music flows. The music is heard only when the children’s games end. But the games will never end… The frozen memory of the children’s unfinished games is as unexpected as hail and as unchangeable as the color of the blood flowing in our veins.

Who are the children in the photographs? The photographs were taken in 1910 in the town of Mush in western Armenia by the Norwegian missionary worker Bodil Katharine Biørn (also known as Mother Katharine), who was doing humanitarian work there. They depict Armenian day-school children who, according to Biørn’s memoirs, received new Norwegian dolls as gifts. They look at the camera with their happy faces, impatient for the picture to be taken so they can continue playing with the dolls…

These children were among the victims of the Armenian Genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

The exposition consists of nets full of toys hanging from the ceiling, resembling hail. The nets are static, except for one that is moving. A video dedicated to the children’s games is projected onto the moving net. Sometimes the toys, which are scattered all around, are set into motion as well, swinging and making noises. The music, which symbolizes the children’s unfinished games, is turned on and off unexpectedly. Visitors will notice certain movements and hear voices within the seemingly static and unmoving space. Through their movement, breathing and voices, all those entering the space become a part of the children’s unfinished games.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• Nelly Barseghyan

, Yerevan
Specialization: set designer, costume designer, scenographer, curator, visual artist
Disciplines: Graphic Designer
Education: Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography, MA in scenography
Collaboration with theatres: Yerevan State Theatre of Musical Comedy after H. Paronyan
Participation in other important exhibitions: Layering Reality: The Right to Mask (Prague, 2013); Social Art Biennale (Armenia, 2012)
Additional information: A co-founder of the ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory and a curator at the Eiva Arts Foundation, she has participated in numerous exhibitions, international festivals and symposia. She was the curator of Armenia’s exposition for PQ'11.

'Vahan Stepanyan (filmový režisér/film director)'

Exhibiting works

• Nelly Barseghyan, Lilit Stepanian: (Red Hail... because it never ends ), (ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory (Eiva Arts Foundation)), 2014, Director: Vahan Stepanyan (filmový režisér/film director), Tigran Hamasyan (skladatel/composer), Varo Rafaelyan (fotograf/photographer) Identification of exhibit: object, video, voice
  Comments: The Red Hail installation of contemporary scenography is the result of an interaction between photography
  and contemporary music. The music is a metaphorical expression of the never-ending games of the children depicted in the photographs. These children were among the victims of the Armenian Genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
• Lilit Stepanian

, Yerevan
Specialization: set designer, costume designer, scenographer, visual artist
Disciplines: Graphic Designer, Illustrator
Education: Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography, MA in scenography
Teaching activities: Coach and trainer for Educational Art Programmes for children and youth at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts (Armenia) and at other educational establishments.
Participation in other important exhibitions: International Museum Day: Museums at Night (Armenia, 2014); Social Art Biennale (Armenia, 2012)
Awards: 2nd Prize at the White Mask International Mime Festival (2011)
Additional information: She has 11 years of working experience, during which time she has designed the scenography for more than 20 performances. Lilit is a co-founder of the ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory and art director at the Eiva Arts Foundation, and has participated at many international theatre festivals, including PQ'11.

'Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director)'

Exhibiting works

• Nelly Barseghyan, Lilit Stepanian: (Red Hail... because it never ends ), (ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory (Eiva Arts Foundation)), 2014, Director: Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director), Tigran Hamasyan (composer), Varo Rafaelyan (photographer) Identification of exhibit: object, video, voice
  Comments: The “Red Hail” installation of contemporary scenography is the result of an interaction between photography and contemporary music. The music is a metaphorical expression of the never-ending games of the children depicted in the photographs. These children were among the victims of the Armenian Genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
• Vahan Stepanyan

, Yerevan
Specialization: director, journalist, teacher, visual artist
Disciplines: Photographer
Education: Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory
Teaching activities: Master classes on photography at Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry in St. Petersburg
Participation in other important exhibitions: World Press Photo short list winners exhibition (Amsterdam, 2013); screening at Les Rencontres Arles Photographie (French, 2012)
Additional information: Prominent photographer Stepanyan is a co-founder of the PAN Photo Agency. He has worked with Universal Music, Levi’s, Adidas, Alain Mikli, Vogue, the Cannes Film Festival, Wim Wenders, Tonino Guerra, Peter Gabriel, Charles Aznavour and many others.

'Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director)'

Exhibiting works

• Nelly Barseghyan, Lilit Stepanian: (Red Hail... because it never ends), ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory (Eiva Arts Foundation) 2014, Director: Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director), Tigran Hamasyan (composer), Varo Rafaelyan (photographer) Identification of exhibit: object, video, voice
  Comments: The “Red Hail” installation of contemporary scenography is the result of an interaction between photography and contemporary music. The music is a metaphorical expression of the never-ending games of the children depicted in the photographs. These children were among the victims of the Armenian Genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
• Tigran Hamasyan

, Gyumri
Specialization: composer, author, producer, sound artist
Disciplines: Pianist
Teaching activities: Series of master classes in piano and composition all over the world since 2009
Awards: 3rd Prize at Concours International de Piano-Jazz Martial Solal (2002); 1st Prize at Jazz à Juan Révélations, jazz instrumental category (2003); 1st Prize at Prix de la Critique et du Public, Concours de Piano du Montreux Jazz Festival (2003); 3rd Prize at Concours de Piano-Jazz de Moscou (2005); 1st Prize at 8ème Concours de Solistes de Jazz de Monaco (2005); 1st Prize at Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (2006); 2nd Prize at Concours International de Piano-Jazz Martial Solal (2006); French Grammy Award (2011); Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Contemporary Music (2013)
Additional information: He has earned serious recognition through five albums and hundreds of concerts all around the world. Hamasyan was named the winner of the 2013 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Contemporary Music.

'Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director)'

Exhibiting works

• Nelly Barseghyan, Lilit Stepanian: (Red Hail... because it never ends), (ScenoLab Scenography Laboratory (Eiva Arts Foundation)), 2014, Director: Vahan Stepanyan (Film Director), Tigran Hamasyan (composer), Varo Rafaelyan (photographer) Identification of exhibit: object, video, voice
  Comments: The “Red Hail” installation of contemporary scenography is the result of an interaction between photography and contemporary music. The music is a metaphorical expression of the never-ending games of the children depicted in the photographs. These children were among the victims of the Armenian Genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.