The dolls as an applied art

Throughout human history, the doll has always played a very mysterious and various role. It was accompanying men in different characters and shapes. It still has not lost its significance (ritual, religious, consumer, educational, artistic and even therapeutic (puppet therapy in psychology)), and the authorial dolls acquire a status of art. This examples of applied art are often having the status of  sculpture and sometimes serve as a garnish. There are museums of dolls in many countries in the world, including our neighbor countries, where from the most old dolls to the most modern factory produced ones or authorial dolls are preserved. But in Armenia, there is no museum of dolls: An exception is the foyer of the State Puppet theatre named Hovhannes Toumanyan, where the “old employees” of the theatre are presented.  The absence of a Museum of dolls troubles archaeologist and art historian Marina Khachmanukyan, who recently founded http://www.kukliarm.com «Жизнь Кукол» (The life of Dolls) virtual museum. According to her, there is lots of interest towards dolls all over the world, and it is very worrisome that in Armenia dolls doesn’t win attention this much. She also mentions, that there are many interesting doll-makers with a unique signature and interesting ideas, whom recognize very little people. This is why Marina Khachmanukyan gathers all of them under one roof of her virtual museum. She is also a collectioner of dolls, and time after time she organizes various exhibitions of dolls. This interest against dolls is very appropriate, because as every creation the dolls also has a character and are a result of a man’s creative mind.  Every doll has its history, its image and character. Thus the virtual museum “The life of dolls” gives an opportunity to go  backward to childhood, to remember, and maybe recognize the dolls from our childhood.

  We are presenting to you examples from Maria Khachmanukyan’s collection, and some works of Armenian doll-makers as well.