On March 25, 2024, the Central Bank of Armenia issued a commemorative gold coin to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sergei Parajanov, a renowned Armenian film director and artist. This issuance honors Parajanov’s significant contributions to cinema and visual arts, celebrating his legacy as a People’s Artist of the USSR.
Sergei Parajanov, born Sargis Parajanyants in 1924 in Tiflis, embarked on his cinematic journey at the Moscow Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). Beginning his career in 1952 at the Kiev Dovzhenko Film Studio, he gained international acclaim with his innovative film “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” in 1964. Parajanov’s 1969 film “The Color of Pomegranate,” shot at Hayfilm Studio, is celebrated as a cinematographic masterpiece, showcasing his avant-garde style and deep engagement with symbolic and spiritual elements.
Despite facing significant challenges, including imprisonment by the Soviet authorities who disapproved of his artistic vision, Parajanov’s creative spirit remained unbroken. He continued to express his artistry through drawings, collages, and other mediums. His later works, including the award-winning “Legend of Suram Fort,” further cemented his status as a pioneering filmmaker. His first international recognition came in 1987 when he was invited to the Rotterdam film festival in the Netherlands, where he received the first prize for the “Most Innovative Film.”
Today, Parajanov’s legacy continues to inspire artists and filmmakers around the world. His works and personal artifacts are preserved in the Sergey Parajanov Museum in Yerevan, established in 1991, which houses over a thousand of his creations.
The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Sergei Parajanov, along with excerpts from his collages “Shell Variation on Themes by Pinturicchio and Raphael” and others. The reverse depicts a scene from “The Color of Pomegranate” and a statue of Parajanov in the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan, crafted by sculptor A. Shiraz in 1999.
Designed by Harutyun Samuelyan (reverse) and Anna Kurghinyan (obverse), and minted at the Polish Mint, the coin is struck in 900 gold, weighs 8.6 grams, and measures 22.0 mm in diameter. It features a proof quality finish and a reeded edge, with a limited mintage of 300 pieces. This coin not only commemorates a century since Parajanov’s birth but also celebrates his enduring influence on the cultural landscape.