Travel Armenia: Vernissage
Not far from the Opera and Ballet House, in a small square, where the monument of the world famous painter Martiros Saryan is depicted, contemporary Armenian artists and painters exhibit their works for sale and for public view. In the weekend the square turns into a real open-air gallery, a peculiar centre for contemporary art and culture.
Here, at Vernisage, you can just walk and admire the paintings of modern masters, meet and talk to the painters, express your opinion on this or that work of art, buy the painting you like or just order a new one be it a portrait, landscape or a still life.
Vernisage opened more than 17 years ago during the period of Soviet Union collapse. Over a period of time it became very popular among the local residents and guests. As far as the Armenians are great craftsmen and good masters, they started to sell not only paintings, but also souvenirs, woodworks, ceramics, handkerchiefs and tablecloths, national embroidered patterns etc.
As a result the area became small for sellers and buyers, and it became expedient to divide Vernisage into two parts: the painters and artists stayed in Martiros Saryan square, and other masters had to allocate the area in the park near the Republic Square.