They are on display at “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” a new exhibition at the Tower of David Museum, which is located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1973, Sargsyan and his family moved to the Netherlands 20 years ago. Though he is now one of the leading paper artists in the world, the sculptor started off in a completely different—and surprising—profession: boxing.
“I see a lot of links between art and sports, because sports are a kind of art form,” Sargsyan said in an interview with The Media Line. “I use a lot of the dynamic movements of the human body seen in sports.”
“I feel great in Israel because it’s very similar to Armenia with regards to the weather and people’s mentality,” he said.
Among other notable figures on display are Eliezer Ben Yehuda, an early 20th century lexicographer who revived the Hebrew language; and Melisende, queen of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
Though the history surrounding these figures is intricate and, for that matter, quite serious, the sculptures depict them in a humorous manner.
“The movement that Sargsyan can create from scissors and very simple materials is fantastic because as you can see the sculptures look like they are dancing,” Eilat Lieber, Director and Chief Curator of the Tower of David Museum, explained to The Media Line. “We invite people to enjoy the beauty of the citadel, to walk inside the archaeological garden, see the remains and meet with different figures of the history of Jerusalem.”
Ultimately, Sargsyan hopes to transmit his art form to the next generation and for this reason the summer exhibition also includes workshops for children, who can learn how to put a cutting-edge twist on ancient history.
Article written by Maya Margit
Reprinted with permission from The Media Line