YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the RA ministry of culture and the National Association of Art Critics, "The Days of Arshil Gorki in Armenia" program dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the painter's death began on September 11. The program was launched in Etchmiadzin, at Arshil Gorki Museum where the reproductions of his works are on display. In the words of the museum director Shahen Khachatrian, although the museum has not been opened yet because the hall's illumination work has to be completed, it was decided to start the Days of Gorki at this museum as the future collection place of Gorki's legacy. The building of the museum was constructed a hundred years ago on the initiative of Khrimian Hayrik and was to serve as the treasure house of the patriarchate. However, the building was used as a shelter of orphans, a medical and military center, then as a storehouse. In the days of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II the building was reconstructed and turned into a museum. Arshil Gorki's sister bequeathed his works to Etchmiadzin. His paintings are currently kept at the Gyulbenkian Museum in Portugal. An agreement has been reached to acquire the originals of 52 paintings by Gorki in order to bring them to Yerevan and keep at the museum. At present the Etchmiadzin museum has only one original of Gorki's drawings. Most of his works are now in various museums of the United States. The chairman of the National Association of Art Critics Nazaret Karoyan said that the indicated one-week program aims to present Gorki's art and legacy to the Armenian public. A. Gorki was an abstract expressionist and his style later had a great influence on other painters. A conference "Arshil Gorki and Armenia" with the participation of Armenian and foreign historians, art critics and experts on Gorki's works is held at the National Picture Gallery on September 12.

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