On 7 March 2026, the Estonian National Museum will open the exhibition Parallels. Armenian Contemporary Art, bringing paintings by 25 Armenian artists from seven countries to Estonian audiences. It is one of the most extensive displays of Armenian contemporary art in Estonia since the end of the Soviet period. The exhibition will be on view until 10 May 2026.

The exhibition features a variety of artists, both established and from younger generations, whose works map the tensions and trends of contemporary Armenian painting.

The parallel referenced in the exhibition's title points to a surprising similarity between the professional art histories of Estonia and Armenia, both in terms of circumstances and cultural development. The birth of each country's national school of art coincided at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and artists moved between the same centres — Moscow, St Petersburg, and Paris — seeking a modern language for their national art. Indeed, the founders of modern Armenian painting, Panos Terlemezian and Martiros Saryan, were studying in Paris at the same time as Konrad Mägi and Nikolai Triik.

During the Soviet period, the ideological demands of socialist realism held sway, but with the restoration of independence, both countries experienced a rapid creative liberation as well as internationalisation. In the latter, however, the directions diverged: while Estonian artists looked predominantly towards Europe and North America, the field of activity for Armenian artists also encompasses the cultural sphere of the Middle East and Asia.

The notable bond with national identity and historical memory that persists in Armenian contemporary art expresses itself through a rich abundance of colour, and the artists' works can be described as emotionally powerful and open.

The exhibition is realised in collaboration between Mellnov Gallery and the Estonian National Museum.