By the government's decision of June 26, Minas Avetisyan's "Meeting" and "At the Cross" frescoes in the government hall will be moved to the Jajur Museum.

Radar Armenia spoke to the museum's director, the artist's son, Arman Avetisyan, about this topic.

- How do you interpret this decision? Who initiated it?

- I consider it a correct and competent decision, since objects of museum value, in this case, the frescoes, should be in the museum and accessible to the public. It is doubly gratifying for me that the frescoes are being moved to Jajur, to the Avetisyan Museum, which will have a positive impact on museum visits.

I was informed about the project to relocate the frescoes earlier by the National Gallery of Armenia, and the reason for this decision is logically apparent.

- Why were they placed in the government session hall at the time?

- I have discussed this a lot; I will revisit it. It is known that Minas Avetisyan's frescoes, remaining in the buildings of half-destroyed factories in Gyumri, were damaged and were on the verge of destruction. The primary necessity was to move the frescoes. In 2010-2011, the government made a decision and provided the necessary financial resources for the restoration and relocation of the "Khachkar" and "Meeting" frescoes. There was an intention to periodically hold open days, allowing people to view the frescoes. Unfortunately, the intention did not come true. Today, it is a fact that these cultural values ​​exist and are preserved.

- When is this program planned to be implemented, and in this context, does the museum have the physical capabilities to exhibit these frescoes?

- According to the decision, the program should be implemented within two months. The museum has the physical capacity to exhibit murals.

- Two of the murals are located at Zvartnots Airport, one in one of Yerevan's shopping malls. Will they remain, or is there a plan to combine the murals?

- You forgot to mention the murals "Armenian Countryside" in the Gyumri Municipality building and "Carpet Making" in the Grand Hotel.
The issue of the murals' location has never been, and is not, up to me to decide. For me, the ultimate goal is to preserve them. If we were to put it on a scale of maintaining the cultural value or not preserving it, of course, I would choose the former: keeping it. Many years ago, when I was trying to save the murals, I proposed creating a unique museum of monumental art in Gyumri itself, where the murals created by various artists in the 1970s would be exhibited. Later, during the restoration of the murals, we faced this serious problem: There were no suitable walls in Gyumri for their transportation.

- Are there any frescoes that have not yet been restored, waiting for their turn to be saved?

- No, there are none.

- What would you add?

- In itself, the restoration of a fresco is an expensive pleasure; I attach great importance to its further preservation. Those who have undertaken to preserve any frescoes on their territory, with all the ensuing responsibility, should have the relevant bodies periodically monitor the conservation of the frescoes.

Interviewed by Arman Galoyan