Nune Tumanyan - Sculptor Extraordinaire

Nune Tumanyan, Armenian sculptor

Nune Tumanyan knew she wanted to be a sculptor at a very early age but her parents made her take violin lessons instead, hoping to steer her artistic talents elsewhere. That parental ploy failed. Several IWAY Walking Tour aficionados visited her studio this past week by arrangement of Armine Tumanyan (no relation).What a wonderful welcome Nune and her husband gave us--right down to brandy and sweets. He is also a sculptor and jewelry designer, so it was like getting a two-fer.

Nune works principally in bronze and her work often features the female form and women's themes. When asked why she chooses to express herself in this way she explained that as a woman she feels she knows a woman's sensitivities and soul...the sculptor's version of "write what you know." Even within this, the breadth of her subjects is arresting.

Among the arts, sculpture usually does not speak to me. I seldom respond to it as I do to music or painting. So when I first visited Nune's website in advance of our visit, her pieces surprised me and drew me in. Her "Runway Collection" stunned me. Super slim models pose with indescribable grace, one leaning back to show off a long formal dress, another striding in a long coat. For about $50,000 I could  look at the the whole collection every day, perhaps imagining life as a model or at least with something akin to to a model's body.

Model in ball gown with tulle trim

Runway Collection

Forbidden Fruit

Among many other pieces on display, two stood out for me.  "Forbidden Fruit" is a whimsical take on the temptation in the Garden of Eden. A giant apple feeds the tiny men and women crawling all over it.

The Way

"The Way" represents the burdens of life. A woman walks carrying rocks hanging from her arms along a narrow path. Nune commented that though we have burdens to carry we go on, walking the road of life.

 

To see more of her work, Nune invites you to visit her Facebook page. Many of her works are available for purchase.

https://www.facebook.com/nune.tumanyan

Or, you can visit me in Vermont and see her autographed catalog, a gift she offered to each visitor.

Alas, this walking tour was the final one for the year. Next spring IWAYers can look forward to more of Armine Tumanyan's special walks to places and people in Yerevan who are off the beaten path. Thank you, Armine, for an enlightening and fun series of events.