The Museum of the renowned film director, screenwriter, and artist Sergey Parajanov is located in Yerevan, in one of the picturesque corners of the capital called Dzoragyugh (Gorge Village).
The idea to create the Director’s house-museum emerged in 1988 when one of Sergey Parajanov’s friends, Zaven Sargsyan, organized an exhibition of Parajanov’s works at the Museum of Folk Art in Yerevan. The exhibition was a success and was attended by the Maestro himself.
Due to Parajanov’s unconstrained fantasy, every instance of that festive occasion became an unforgettable event. At the exhibition opening ceremony, Parajanov highlighted that his creativity did not recognize any national pertinence – it belonged to all. Nevertheless, he considered himself a person of three homelands. “My first homeland is Georgia, where I became an accomplished artist, the second one is Ukraine which gave me love, happiness and recognition worldwide, and my third homeland is Armenia, where my roots are and where I would like to live the rest of my life”.
Inspired by these words, Zaven Sargsyan turned to the Armenian government, and soon the decision was passed to grant premises to house the Artist’s residence and Museum. Initially, there were two possible buildings meant to house the Museum – one was on the iconic Abovian street (currently where the famous art gallery, souvenir shop and restaurant Dalan is located). The second possible place was the two-storied house – still being built at the time – in Dzoragyugh. Parajanov personally visited both places and opted for the one in Dzoragyugh.
Parajanov was delighted and, in different interviews, would mention with pride that a two-storied house museum was being built for him. He could picture his own house and Museum – with peacocks walking in the courtyard and his guests enjoying their beauty. Unfortunately, after the devastating earthquake in 1988, the construction was interrupted and resumed only in the spring of 1990. By that time, Parajanov had been diagnosed with lung cancer which eventually killed him, impeding the Artist from moving into that house and making his dreams come true.
Parajanov’s Museum was inaugurated in 1991, a year after his death.
