‘The Color of Pomegranates’ (1968) is Sergei Parajnov’s homage to the 18th-century poet & troubadour, Sayat-Nova. Dreamlike, the film’s iconographic tableaux recount the life of the poet from within his poetry and poetic imagination, drawing on Armenian lineages of illuminated manuscripts & miniature paintings.
The pomegranate, or nur, in Armenian, is an ancient symbol of fertility and abundance. Winter-fruiting, the apple of the garnet also symbolizes death, the cycles of light and the psyche's journey between darkness and light.
While the film was projected, guests enjoyed a menu designed by Stargarten Studios, sipped non-alcoholic cocktails from Aplos and lit candles that they placed upon the altar – setting intentions for the new year ahead.
