For Vasken Brudian, drawing lines between Armenia and the Diaspora is unproductive: “to measure our true strength in the global arena, we have to think of Armenia not just within its physical borders.” Though communities may be diffuse, “we now have one country and a common purpose: developing Armenia as a nation.” As an architect and curator, Brudian approaches development through design.
Though born in Cairo, Vasken spent his childhood in Yerevan before his family moved to Los Angeles. From then on, he would return to Armenia frequently - though as a tourist. In 2011, an opportunity to teach design workshops at the newly opened TUMO Center for Creative Technologies offered a pathway back. So, he took it. Inspired by the creativity of his young students at TUMO, Vasken started his studio Ardēan as a way to harness the innovative spirit he was surrounded with in Armenia. He was struck by the intricate craftsmanship and diversity of Armenian artifacts: khachkars, lacework, illuminated manuscripts, carpet weaving, and embroidery. He and his team strive to create new manifestations of this rich cultural heritage in their search “for a new and modern vocabulary in our ever expanding cultural distinctiveness.”
Vasken’s studio is working towards helping Armenian design burgeon on global markets, popularizing Armenian products among wider audiences than solely the diaspora. Explore Ardēan designs, exhibitions and concepts at https://ardean.am/, and learn more about Vasken’s efforts towards establishing a thriving design and manufacturing industry in Armenia: http://repatarmenia.org/…/vasken-brudian-one-country-and-a-….