The Artsakh’s (Nagorno-Karabakh) Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is ready to exchange the works of Azerbaijani artists with the paintings left in the Shushi Museum of Fine Arts. After the war, the readiness was transferred to the Azerbaijani side through the Russian peacekeeping troops in Artsakh.
“As the course of events and development have shown, Azerbaijan, particularly, Baku, does not respond (to our offer), they have categorically refused the offer of the Russian peacekeeper,” says Lusine Gharakhanyan, Artsakh’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
The works of Azerbaijani artists are kept in the fund of Stepanakert Gallery after the first Artsakh war. By the way, it is known who the authors of the works are.
“The paintings of Azerbaijani authors are kept in the fund of the Stepanakert Gallery, where all the conditions for the preservation of paintings are available. The number of paintings is close to 50, created in the 1970s,” says Nonna Grigoryan, Acting Director of the Stepanakert Gallery.
More than 600 paintings are left in the Shushi Museum of Fine Arts. These are the works of internationally renowned artists, says the director of the Shushi City Museums SNCO.
“The opposing side does not express readiness for exchange, we do not come to an agreement,” says Lusine Gasparyan, Director of Shushi City Museums SNCO.
The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Artsakh warns that the cultural heritage in the Armenian territories occupied by Azerbaijan is endangered. The one who does not value its own culture, cannot value others’ culture either.
“Usually a person who assimilates a culture and steals someone else's culture cannot have a caring attitude and appreciate his own culture. It is on the example of exchange, unrealized exchange, that one can conclude how people value their culture,” Lusine Gharakhanyan says.
The Shushi State Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 2013 by the efforts of Academician Grigory Gabrielyants.
