Budapest Exhibition Explores Medieval Armenian Capital Ani

An international exhibition and conference dedicated to the medieval Armenian capital of Ani opened March 19 at the Petőfi Museum of Literature in Budapest. Titled "Ani: the One Thousand and One Afterlives of a Medieval Armenian Capital," the event brought together scholars, artists and cultural practitioners to examine Ani's significance for memory, art and identity across national and diasporic contexts.

The exhibition, which ran through April 20, culminated a research project funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation. The opening ceremony featured remarks from museum and university officials, as well as performances by pianist Nare Sukiasyan and choreographer Jasmin İhraç. A scholarly conference followed, with panels examining how Ani has been documented, imagined and contested across different historical periods and media, from early 20th-century museum practices to contemporary artistic engagement.