RiverArts will present a conversation with Ted Andreasian and Nune Karamyan, led by artist and art restorer, Katerina Spilio. Ted and Nune will discuss their new book, Stone and Candle: Armenian Monasteries, the epic journey into the mountains of Armenia, unpack the deeper meanings of the book’s title, the inspiration for the trip, and the power of connecting to the past while shaping a creative path into the future. The Artists Conversation series is curated and produced by Marie Louise-Miller.
Date – Sunday, October 14
Venue – Ted and Nune Studio; 45 Main Street, Store B, Hastings-On-Hudson
Time – 5:30-6:30pm
Tickets – $10; tickets can be purchased at https://riverarts.wufoo.com/forms/inspiration-fuel-identity-artist-conversation/
Stone and Candle: Armenian Monasteries is a collection of images that pays homage to Armenian nature and the magnificent churches ingeniously assembled over centuries. Within the book’s pages, Ted and Nune’s work captures the profound play between human artistry and its surrounding natural environment. The images weave a narrative conveying the intrinsic connection between human creativity and the sacred architectural marvels of Christian heritage.
This long-term photographic project covers 40 monastic structures from across Armenia—with several in the disputed territory of Artsakh and majority dating from the 4th to 13th centuries. This collection is an ode to the Armenian landscape and the Christian architectural creations skillfully brought out of the rocks and assembled over centuries to set their mark. This project explores the theme of integrity between man’s artistry and the natural environment, provoking feelings of peace, gentleness, tenderness, harmony, and melancholy. Producer of the Artists Conversation series, Marie Louise-Miller states, “I’m very excited to hear the interplay between Ted & Nune and Katarina as they peel back theinspirations for creating and reimaging icons and their deeper meanings for us all in these days of rapid change and cancellation.”
This Artist Conversation is led by Katerina Spilio, an expert in Byzantine icon restoration andwell-versed in sacred art history. Regarding Ted and Nunes work, she shares, “I think what is very interesting is that they have photographed the exterior of these churches that were in such solitary places, so remote, very much like I am when I paint, or anyone is when they need to find meaning. They look harsh on the outside sometimes. But when you go inside, there is a gem of history, almost like a geode.”
Armenia holds personal and generational memories for Ted and Nune that can be felt through this collection as they take an intergenerational step to the roots of their identities. Ted’s ancestors fled the 1890s pogroms and the 1914 Genocide to come to the US, Nune was raised in the Armenian SSR. Both were brought up with a strong sense of Armenian culture and history. Ted and Nune shares, “Our spirits are rejuvenated with each trip to Armenia. That we belong to an ancient culture is a valuable personal insight that moves us forward on our journey together. We can’t wait to go back and hope we can share some of that excitement with others.”
