Haghtanak Shahoumian’s (Haghto) exhibition titled Mirage and Reality was sponsored by Garo and Rita Salkhanian and organized by Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery of Hamazkayin. The opening ceremony of the exhibition took place on Thursday, 14th June, 2018, in the presence of the RA Ambassador to Lebanon Samvel Mkrtchian and art lovers.
Hagop Havatian, director of the Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery, welcomed the guests saying that it was a great honor for the gallery to host the folk artist Haghtanak Shahumian. He noticed that the painter’s art expresses his feelings, life and struggle for righteousness, beauty and nobility. "It is not possible to separate Shahumian's art and his intellectual abilities, because he is not only a talented artist but also an intellectual anxious with universal and national issues," said Havatian adding that they could only exhibit a part of Shahumian’s paintings, but one could find various paintings related to the Armenian Genocide, independence, statehood and struggle in his workshop.
At the end, Havatian wished success to the artist, because the success would certainly enrich our culture. "We are sure that the artist’s concerns related to the problems of our culture will be solved in the nearest future, and the Armenian government and entire pan-Armenian environment will show more care and concern for our culture," said Hagop Havatian.
