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Island of San Lazarro.
The Republic of Armenia's national pavilion "Armenity" at the Venice Biennale 2015 wins the Golden Lion award for the Best National Participation. The official twitter page of the Venice Biennale made the announcement a few hours ago.
Renowned international curator Adelina Cuberyan von Furstenberg is the curator of Armenia's national pavilion, which is dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide and featured Armenian artists from the Diaspora.
Armenity is being held in a setting of special significance for the Armenian Diaspora. It was on the Island of San Lazzaro that the Armenian monk Mekhitar established the Mekhitarist Order in 1717. It was here that in the early 19th century, Lord Byron studied the Armenian language. Many important works of European literature and religious texts were first translated into Armenian on this scenic island. Over its three-hundred year history the Monastery of San Lazzaro has helped to preserve Armenia’s cultural heritage.
According to the Republic of Armenia's national pavilion's official website, Armenity questions the concept of Armenian identity as being the result of the historical connections characterizing Armenian culture through the millennia from the lands of Anatolia, the Caucasus and throughout the diaspora since its inception. The exhibition finds expression in the diversity of creative ideas and narration and the vision of each of the artists and intellectuals involved - it is a direct reflection of a continuous process of preservation and enrichment that has allowed the Armenian culture to be integrated but not assimilated in even the most adverse conditions.
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years.
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