Racine Program by Photographer Hawk Khatcherian Draws Enthusiastic Crowd

By L.A. Saryan

RACINE, Wis.—The Wisconsin Armenian community enjoyed a fascinating educational afternoon with internationally renowned Armenian photographer Hrair Hawk Khatcherian on Sept. 12.

Hawk visited Racine to introduce his new book, 100: 1915-2015, a two inch-thick collection of recent color photographs of Historic Armenia and its treasures, published to coincide with the 100^th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. The slide program based on the new book presents only a small fraction of the 516 pages and well over a thousand views in this massive tome. Hawk’s program, which was held at the historic Preservation Hall in downtown Racine, drew rave reviews from many of the 75 attendees.

The outcome of several photographic expeditions to Western Armenia as well as numerous museums, the book brings together Armenian religious art, architecture, costume, silver artifacts, vestments, reliquaries, khatchkars (stone crosses), manuscripts, coins, and carpets to document Historic Armenia as it exists today, and treasures that have survived to our time.

Hawk Khatcherian is a Montreal-based photographer who, for two decades or more, has dedicated his efforts to documenting the Armenian heritage worldwide. The author sought and achieved a positive presentation, focusing not so much on what was lost, but on the richness of what still remains and has been preserved a century following the 1915 Armenian Genocide. He elaborated on the difficulties he had as he confronted policemen and soldiers in the rural countryside while attempting to gather photographs of structures and scenery.

The program is one of a series of commemorative events and programs coordinated by the Wisconsin Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee, comprised of clergy and lay representatives from all four Wisconsin Armenian churches. The support of the Maresh-Meredith funeral home, which made Preservation Hall (formerly the Racine Women’s Club) available to the committee at no charge, is gratefully acknowledged.

After the program, a copy of the new book was procured by the committee and donated to the Racine Public Library.

The program was opened by committee member Dr. Levon Saryan, who presented the biography and accomplishments of the guest speaker. An enthusiastic question and answer discussion followed the formal presentation.

Refreshments were provided by committee members Julie Der Garabedian and Var Krikorian. Media coverage was provided by the Racine Journal Times. After the program, a copy of the new book was procured by the committee and donated to the Racine Public Library.