Seamstress Class Graduation, National Aramian Trade School (founded 1903), Sepastia, Ottoman Empire, c. 1908; photographer unknown. With the school’s motto “Art is the embodiment of beauty” (translation of the Armenian) on the wall, the varjouhie (teacher), seated center, is ready to present diplomas to her students. Note tools of the dressmaker’s trade: Singer sewing machine, thimble on a finger, and a tape measure draped around each graduate’s neck. (Photo courtesy of anonymous photo donor)
Seamstress Class Graduation, National Aramian Trade School (founded 1903), Sepastia, Ottoman Empire, c. 1908; photographer unknown. With the school’s motto “Art is the embodiment of beauty” (translation of the Armenian) on the wall, the varjouhie (teacher), seated center, is ready to present diplomas to her students. Note tools of the dressmaker’s trade: Singer sewing machine, thimble on a finger, and a tape measure draped around each graduate’s neck. (Photo courtesy of anonymous photo donor)
WASHINGTON (A.W.)—The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, “Armenia: Creating Home” on the Mall, June 27-July 1, and July 4-8, celebrates Armenian traditions. Artists from Armenia and the U.S. will participate together in performances and demonstrations of food, music, and craft. The festival offers “a glimpse into Armenian culture, greatly influenced by its surroundings, heritage, and ongoing exchange with its many diasporas
Tsoleen Sarian lives and works in Armenia. Previous leadership roles include ANCA Eastern Region, Homenetmen Boston, AGBU YP Boston, Armenian Memorial Church and the Friends of Armenian Heritage Park. She holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Northeastern University.
3 Comments
If you want photographs to be seen by and used by almost nobody, donate them as is to Project Save or to one of the similar restricted access private archives that exist in America. These bodies artificially restrict access to their holdings as a fundraising and existence-maintaining strategy. Of the 45,000 photographs Project Save says it holds, and after 40 years of collecting them, less than 100 are on show on its website, all at too low a resolution to be usable by researchers. There is not even a public online database to indicate what images Project Save has in its collection. Donating image collections to educational institutes is not much better – they will languish neglected and forgotten since such bodies will only do work on an archive if they are also donated money to do it. If you want your archival or historical photographs to be freely seen be all, and to be usable by researchers across the World, scan them and release them as public domain images on Wikipedia Commons. Only after that donate the physical photographs to Project Save (or perhaps to one of the museum archives in Yerevan where they can form part of a national collection in a central location that is open to international researchers).
Incredibly impressive, well done Tsoleen Sarian.
Can you simply describes the steps of donating our family old photographs.
Great article. Thank you Tsoleen. I know with your leadership and the new direction of Project save, collaborating with other wonderful projects like Houshamadyan (houshamadyan.org) and others, there are great things happening lately. I look forward to your vision for Project Save of reaching wider audiences and providing better means of accessibility.
If you want photographs to be seen by and used by almost nobody, donate them as is to Project Save or to one of the similar restricted access private archives that exist in America. These bodies artificially restrict access to their holdings as a fundraising and existence-maintaining strategy. Of the 45,000 photographs Project Save says it holds, and after 40 years of collecting them, less than 100 are on show on its website, all at too low a resolution to be usable by researchers. There is not even a public online database to indicate what images Project Save has in its collection. Donating image collections to educational institutes is not much better – they will languish neglected and forgotten since such bodies will only do work on an archive if they are also donated money to do it. If you want your archival or historical photographs to be freely seen be all, and to be usable by researchers across the World, scan them and release them as public domain images on Wikipedia Commons. Only after that donate the physical photographs to Project Save (or perhaps to one of the museum archives in Yerevan where they can form part of a national collection in a central location that is open to international researchers).
Incredibly impressive, well done Tsoleen Sarian.
Can you simply describes the steps of donating our family old photographs.
Great article. Thank you Tsoleen. I know with your leadership and the new direction of Project save, collaborating with other wonderful projects like Houshamadyan (houshamadyan.org) and others, there are great things happening lately. I look forward to your vision for Project Save of reaching wider audiences and providing better means of accessibility.