The rebellious Parajanov, the power of art and 10-year-old Iren
On January 20, 2026, the Sergei Parajanov Museum hosted the winners of the “Parajanov and His Museum” quiz.
The quiz was organized by Mediamax in cooperation with JTI Armenia, a long-time friend of the Sergei Parajanov Museum.
A total of 41 participants registered for the quiz, but none of them answered all 23 questions correctly. Three participants, Tatevik Harutyunyan, Kristine Hakobyan, and Arpine Andreasyan, achieved the highest score, each answering 21 questions correctly.
Tatevik Harutyunyan was unable to attend the award ceremony on January 20 and will receive her prize book at a later date.
The participants represented different ages and professions, yet shared a common interest: to understand, discover, and engage more deeply with an artist who continually transcended his time and entered eternity.
As a result of discussions with the management of the Sergei Parajanov Museum, a decision was made to also invite 10-year-old Iren, who answered 17 questions correctly.
Museum Director Anahit Mikaelyan highlighted Iren’s participation as a particularly hopeful sign for the future of culture.
“When a child chooses to dedicate his/her free time to art, that is already a victory,” she said, emphasizing that such quizzes and initiatives not only bring young people to the museum, but also help form a lasting connection with the world of art.
Anahit Mikaelyan recalled Parajanov’s unbreakable creative spirit: even when he was “in a cage,” he continued to remain an artist. The museum, she noted, strives to be a space where young people can not only observe, but also think, question, and discover.
Kristine Hakobyan is a financier, yet art remains an essential part of her life, and museums serve as a space for exploration and research.
Her decision to participate in the quiz was almost spontaneous:
“I saw the topic and thought, why not try? But the questions weren’t easy.”
Arpine Andreasyan shared an important observation on the digitization of museums. In her view, presenting exhibits online does not diminish the value of an in-person visit, on the contrary, it increases interest.
“People see it, become curious, and want to experience everything firsthand.”
A linguist by profession, Arpine made several discoveries during the quiz, particularly about the museum’s founding director, Zaven Sargsyan.
“I was surprised to learn that he was a member of the Dreamers group. I knew about the group and had seen the film, but Zaven Sargsyan’s involvement was a revelation for me,” Kristine added.
Alongside Arpine and Kristine, Iren – the youngest participant – stood out, her presence instantly changing the atmosphere in the hall. Iren said she spent her winter vacation reading, watching, and studying the life and work of Sergei Parajanov.
Her interest began at the age of four, when her mother first brought her to the museum.
For Iren, it was important to answer the questions using her own knowledge rather than searching for the correct answers. “If I had taken first place without relying on my own knowledge, it would have been self-deception,” she said with a seriousness rarely heard from a ten-year-old.
Arpine and Kristine received a gift from the museum – “Collage Against the Background of a Self-Portrait” («Коллаж на фоне автопортрета») by Kora Tsereteli, and Iren was presented with a box titled Parajanov’s Dream World, featuring interesting tasks and creative games.
Astghik Hovhannesov
Photos by Emin Aristakesyan