Sculptor and graphic artist Arto Chakmakhchyan moved to Canada thirty years ago. He is now better known outside Armenia, but he has always stayed in touch with his homeland. In 2004 Arto was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for his unique contribution to national art. His sculpture “Moving Person” will soon be installed on Northern Prospect.

Ancient symbol of power and admiration, essence of beauty and goodness, the one creature whose glory does not fade in the face of the ravages of time. At first, it might sound queer that these qualities are attributed to a 12-millimeter long red insect. The lowly scale bug, however, lies at the center of the creation of one of the most rare and special pigments known to man.

Who would have thought that even back in the 17th century a rancid anti-tobacco campaign was taking place in Armenia? The evidence of this is contained in the archives. This campaign was led by the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Hovannes Vanetsi, also known as Tutunji. He was the first traveler who managed to describe the sources of the Blue Nile to the rest of the world.

Valentin Berezhkov recalls how Stalin pinned map to the wall and said with a degree of complacency: “Let’s see what we’ve done. Everything’s good in the North. The Baltic nations are ours again. Byelorussians, Ukrainians, and Moldavians now live together. We took back the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin, too.” And, following along the Turkish-Armenian border with his pipe, he added: “This, this is where I don’t like our border…”