A Conference on Armenian Photographers: The Eyes of Our Culture

This conference is dedicated to the memory of museum patron Hasmik Mgrdichian

Armenians have been the dominant, native-born photographers in the Middle East since this new technology made its way east from Europe during the second half of the 19th century. This day-long conference at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum will focus on historic and contemporary Armenian photographers from the view point of archivists, historians, photographers, and the grandson of an Ottoman Armenian photographer.

Conference moderator, Ramela Grigoian Abbamontian Ph.D

Morning Session (10:00 AM – 1:15 PM)

Panel #1 Early Development

• Joseph E. Malikian

From Constantinople to Egypt: the Armenians in the Development of Photography in the Near East from 1850 until 1887.

• Armen Maroobian

From the Capital to the Provinces: an examination of the development and expansion of the art and business of photography in the late Ottoman period from 1888-1992.

• Vigen Galstyan

The Architecture of Modern Oriental Identity: architecture as national ideology in the photography of Hovhannes Kurkdijan, Mateos Papazyants, Antoine Sevruguin and Aram Vruyr (1880s-1900s)

Panel #2: Historical Uphaeaval and Documentation

• Bardig Kouyoumdjian

Deir Zor…the forgotten landscape

• Kevork Djansezian (official photographer of Karabagh war)

War and its Aftermath: the fight for Independent Karabagh Panel #3: Contemporary Identity and Preservation (2:15 – 3:45 pm)

• Vahe Peroomian

Photographic Journey of My Homeland, Armenia

• Ara Oshagan

Tracing the Topographies of Identity: Photographs from Los Angeles and Beirut.

• Ruth Thomassian

Preserving Memory: Armenian Photographers of the Homeland Location Saturday, September 12, 2015 (10:00 to 3:35 pm) Ararat Eskijian Museum – Sheen Chapel 15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills, Ca 91345 For information contact: (747) 500-7585 or email ararat-eskijian-museum@netzero.net Open to public, free admission