Gevorkian Photos Depict Armenia

BEDFORD, Mass.—Of the 11 trips Sona Gevorkian has made to Armenia, nothing surpasses the one she took in 2008 with her family.

This one had a special ring to it. Her parents, Steve and Angele Dulgarian, were celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary and invited the entire clan—four children, their spouses, and nine grandchildren.

Wherever Gevorkian went, her brood was sure to follow, along with her camera. Photography was always a lifelong ambition and the 40-year-old has made the best of it.

An exhibit of her best work is currently on display at the Bedford Free Public Library through mid-July in conjunction with other participating artists in what’s being titled “A Sense of Place.”

The Gevorkians reside in Bedford, not far from the library. Joining Sona Gevorkian at the opening reception were husband Allen and three young children, Datev, Tsoline and Narineh.

“It’s given me the opportunity to share my work with others and, at the same time, give Armenia some visibility,” said Gevorkian. “Much of what I took was of family but I always kept an open eye out for other subjects.”

After arriving home from the trip, Gevorkian went to work creating photo books for family members, along with calendars. She wound up with 1,500 images over the two weeks while keeping her camera in overdrive the entire time.

To say she shares her passion with others is an overstatement. Her first public exhibit won’t necessarily be her last.

“I’d love to return and just focus on photography without being part of a tour,” she said. “The potential is unlimited.”

Gevorkian pays attention to spontaneity and detail, not one to be influenced only by the commonplace. If there’s a cupola that fancies her attention, she’ll introduce a child or adult in the foreground for added impact.

At Dzidzernagapert, the genocide memorial, an elderly woman was captured mopping the floor by the eternal flame. She titled that “Sense of Pride.”

Khatchkars (Armenian cross-stones] at Noravank are enhanced in a provocative setting for added authority, while at Goris the viewer sees a villager off to work with a shovel on his shoulders. Such scenes may become mundane to the ordinary tourist, but for Gevorkian they translate into art.

The back streets of Stepanakert are brought to life as is a bus stop with a red, blue, and orange bench. A commuter waiting for transportation adds substance to the setting.

Khatchkars at Lake Sevan would be trite were it not for a mandolin player that just happened to pass. Gevorkian caught the musician playing behind the stones.

“A lot of it is spontaneous,” she says. “You see it and act quickly with the camera.”

Gevorkian was raised through the ranks of the Lowell AYF and presides over the Lowell “Lousintak” ARS Chapter as it prepares to celebrate the centennial.

She is a graduate of UMass Amherst with a degree in Soviet studies and international relations. Previous trips to Armenia have led to relief work from 1989-94 with both the ARS and the Land & Culture Organization.

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Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.