Genocide Exhibition Opens at University of Rhode Island with Event on April 17

By Naomi Kuromiya

During World War I, from 1915-18, and again from 1920-23, over one and a half million Armenians perished in the killings and abuse now referred to as the Armenian Genocide. Committed by the political party of the Ottoman Empire commonly known as the Young Turks, the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century. The government disguised their planned deportation and extermination program as a resettlement plan for the minority Armenian population. In fact, the deported Armenians suffered massacres, starvation, disease, torture, and confiscation of all their possessions. The few that survived became refugees in neighboring countries.

AskYourGrandfathersmall — One of the exhibited works

The Armenian Genocide is commemorated each year on April 24, the date in 1915 when the genocide officially commenced with the murder of hundreds of Armenian leaders in Constantinople. This year, to mark the 95th anniversary of the atrocities, Gallery Z director Bérge Ara Zobian, an Armenian of Providence, R.I., has curated a historically and artistically important show titled, “The Armenian Genocide: 95 Years Later, In Remembrance.” Zobian produced the show in collaboration with the Urban Arts and Culture Program of the University of Rhode Island (URI) Feinstein Providence Campus.

This informative, academic, and historical exhibition is now open at the URI Feinstein Providence Campus Gallery, and will be on display through April 30. There will be two major receptions of the show. The first is a city of Providence Gallery Night reception on Thurs., April 15 from 5-9 p.m., where several of the show’s artists will be in attendance. The second reception is the main event of the exhibition with a packed program; it will take place on Sat., April 17 from 3-5 p.m. Both events will take place at the URI Feinstein Providence Campus Gallery at 80 Washington St. in Providence.

Because the event on the 17th will start promptly at 3 p.m., it is advised that guests plan ahead to find parking in downtown Providence. Guests should head directly to the auditorium adjacent to the gallery where the program events will take place, and will promptly be transported into a different environment. Armenian duduk players Mher Saribekyan, David Gevorkian, and Aper Balasanyan, born in Yerevan, Armenia, and Doug James of California will greet guests with music. Armenian Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (Homenetmen) will place armbands on entering visitors. There will be a registration table for educators receiving professional development credits coordinated through the Rhode Island State Department of Education by Pauline Getzoyan and Esther Kalajian, as well as tables selling historical books and DVDs.

At 3 p.m., master of ceremonies Greg Chopoorian, an actor and historical consultant for the 2002 film “Ararat,” will open the event with a brief overview of the program, followed by a moment of silence. Father Hayr Simeon Odabashian of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence will then conduct an opening prayer. Following that will be a performance by kamancha player David Ayiryan with piano accompaniment by Maestro Konstantin Petrossian. Levon Attarian will then give a short speech detailing the history of the Armenian Genocide and more recent Armenian political struggles.

Next, there will be a brief presentation of the Rhode Island “Genocide Educator of the Year Award” by Getzoyan and Kalajian, the founders of the “Remembering Our Past, Educating Our Future” program. This financial stipend is awarded annually to an educator nominated as outstanding in the area of genocide education by his or her school system. Actor Armen Garo will then perform in the play “Hishadag’s Return: A Contemplation of the Jewish Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide,” a work written by Dorothy Abram, a playwright and Ph.D. professor at Johnson & Wales University. Following the play, Abram and Chopoorian will host a brief question and answer session along with a survey geared towards educators.

To conclude, singer and performer Arpie Dadoyan will present two songs from her latest album “Sandplay.” Chopoorian will give a brief thank you talk, and the four duduk players will commence again as guests exit the event. Interested visitors are invited to stay after for another question and answer session. The event will be followed by a reception where guests can enjoy the art and artifacts of the exhibit with background duduk and kamancha music, and an array of Armenian delicacies.

Much of the content of the exhibition is possible thanks to the participation of a number of prominent organizations. Notably, the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) of Watertown, Mass. has provided, in addition to over 10 historical artifacts, a panel display of its traveling genocide show, “The Ongoing Armenian Genocide: Death, Denial, and Desecration.” This educational exhibit was formed based on materials and books from ALMA’s Genocide Research Collection, a unique resource that contains 730 oral histories of genocide survivors and more. The exhibit was created by ALMA chairman Haig Der Manuelian, ALMA trustee Arakel Almasian, and ALMA trustee Elisabeth Kenosian, with generous funding from Haig and Adele Der Manuelian, Vigen Der Manuelian, and Lucy Der Manuelian in loving memory of their parents Manuel and Armenouhy Der Manuelian. The display of this exhibit is generously sponsored by Ardashes Nahabedian in memory of Marinos and Sarkis Nahabedian.

Other organizations participating include the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute of Yerevan, Armenia. The exhibition displays several of their rarely seen photographs and other materials. The Armenian Historical Association of Rhode Island has lent heirlooms and historical artifacts with references, such as antique maps. The Naregatsi Art Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Armenian culture through the arts, has provided enlightening posters, artwork, films, and private collections. In addition, the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts and Ararat Association, a non-profit organization focused on cultivating professional, social, and cultural interaction amongst its members and the Rhode Island Armenian community, are both partial sponsors of the exhibition among other individuals and organizations.

The show boasts work from 47 professional artists and over 100 works of school-age children ages 6-16. Showcasing younger artists is a vital aspect of the show that gives it a view towards the future. The participating schools include the St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School of Watertown; the Mourad Armenian School of Providence; and the Arts Education Program, Armenian School, and Sunday School of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church of Providence. The displayed artwork encompasses a large variety of mediums and subjects, but each piece answers the question: “What does being an Armenian mean to you?”

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.armeniangenocide95years.com or contact the staff of the show directly by emailing armeniangenocide95years@gmail.com.

The show also has a Facebook page, “Armeniangenocide Ninetyfiveyears,” that provides basic information and serves as an easy tool to connect with staff and other supporters of the show.

This exhibition becomes all the more crucial when considering the Armenian Genocide in the context of the 20th century and the numerous other genocides that followed it. In order to prevent genocides in the future, acknowledging and examining past episodes of violence becomes all the more significant. As the first genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide is an especially critical event to affirm, and the surviving culture is essential to share with as large an audience as possible. This exhibition is important in that it commemorates the past, celebrates the present, and looks toward the future.