This was the third consecutive year for collaborations between Haigazian University and the Hovhannes Sharambeyan Folk Art Museum of Yerevan. Mr. Hovhannes Menoyan was invited to teach the Lebanese Armenian school students about Stippled Metal Art (hammered Metal Art).
Mr. Menoyan is a third generation Gyumri blacksmith. His work has been show-cased which led to the inclusion of the Gyumri Blacksmithery into the UNESCO World Folk Crafts Heritage.
Mr. Menoyan was accompanied by Miss Kayane Aslanian, vice director of the Sharambeyan museum and the head of this partnership project.
Between May 14 and May 22, the two guests visited all the Lebanese Armenian schools and conducted two-hour workshops with the students aged between 12 and 17.
Each student was provided with a stainless-steel sheet of 10 by 10 cm., a hammer, a nail, a pair of gloves and several Armenian ornaments printed on paper. Students were instructed to glue the printed Armenian ornament they chose on the metal plaques and then hammer with a nail the silhouette of the ornament. Notwithstanding the fact that most of them had never held a hammer in their hands, the students came up with magnificent results. They were surprised they could produce such a work.
During the workshop one could discern the symphony in the (dis)harmony of the noises made by hammering the nails on the plaques as all were determined to produce impressive results. Finishing their task early, some of the students worked on a second ornament. Interestingly some of the students remembered their participation in last year’s Kilim Weaving workshop and were curious to know about plans for next year’s project.
Over 550 students participated in this unique workshop.