Et Cetera

During March 2022, the Word—not only allegorically, but in the most literal sense—finds itself outstretched like the Vitruvian man strung from the corners of our Armenian-Russian-Ukrainian semiotic triangle.

How a tightly rolled bundle of negatives taken by Hamo Kharatyan in the 1930s slowly began to reveal astonishing, quite unfamiliar aspects of Vanadzor's life that were already on the verge of disappearing.

Known as the mother of modern sculpture, Lilit Teryan left an indelible mark on Iran’s art scene. Although teaching sculpture was banned following the 1979 revolution, Teryan continued creating and eventually returned to instruct a new generation of Iranian artists.

In its quest to rediscover itself, Gyumri is continuing the traditions of the textile industry which in turn is inspiring new initiatives.

The first Armenian-owned photo studios in Constantinople and Tbilisi at the end of the 1850s not only immortalized people’s lives, they were an effective shortcut to modernity and a powerful symbol of cultural emancipation.

While contemporary dance is still seen as a very niche and esoteric “corner” of Armenia’s performing arts landscape, it is starting to flourish with many young dancers from Armenia and abroad involved in making this change.

Most exhibitions organized in Armenia in the post-war period refer either to the war or to related topics. Two recently-opened shows depart from this context, referring to a more broadly “warlike” situation—the issue of waste.

Despite all the attempts to forget or eradicate it, the ancient Armenian village of Bagaran that lies on the very edge of the Turkish-Armenian border, is a metaphorical manifestation of this region's rich and tragic history.

Examining the dissonance between the importance ascribed to national values like cultural heritage and the less-than enviable conditions surrounding the profession of Armenia’s “heritage doctors”.

Philip Marsden’s “The Crossing Place: A Journey Among the Armenians” is atmospheric, gripping and revelatory. It delves into the seemingly exclusive club of a nation at the meeting point of cultures, writes Naneh Hovhannisyan.