Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

UCLA AGSA and ASA bring contemporary Armenian art to campus

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • UCLA AGSA and ASA bring contemporary Armenian art to campus

    PRESS RELEASE
    MARCH 22, 2004

    UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association
    Graduate Students Association
    c/o Armenian Graduate Students Association
    Kerckhoff Hall Room 316
    308 Westwood Plaza
    Los Angeles, CA 90024
    Contact: Lilit Keshishyan
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/agsa

    UCLA AGSA and ASA bring contemporary Armenian art to campus

    The UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association in conjunction with the
    UCLA Armenian Students Association welcomed the campus community to a week
    of contemporary Armenian arts hosted at UCLA's Kerckhoff Hall Art Gallery.
    The week-long series of events included an exhibition of visual arts from
    March 8th through March 12th.

    The exhibition, entitled "VIIISIONS: An Exhibition of Contemporary Armenian
    Arts" featured works by prominent Armenian artists; Vachag, Seeroon
    Yeretsian, Martiros Adalyan, Sev, Vahe Berberian, Kaloust Guedel, Alina
    Mnatsakanian, and Samvel Saghatelyan as well as poet Lory Bedikian and
    vocalist Soseh Keshishyan. Artists Sev, Vahe Berberian, Kaloust Guedel and
    Samvel Saghatelyan participated in the Monday afternoon opening of the
    exhibit at which they introduced their work and answered questions from
    students and faculty members.

    "It was rewarding to see the positive responses of both Armenian and
    non-Armenian students and faculty at the exhibition," commented UCLA AGSA
    project director for the exhibition, Lilit Keshishyan. "I think the
    exhibit, poetry reading and performance provided a rich and fulfilling
    experience because it formed a creative and intellectual atmosphere, and
    welcomed interaction between the artists and audience."

    On the evening of March 10th, UCLA Alumna Lory Bedikian delivered a poetry
    reading at the gallery. Bedikian has read in numerous southern California
    venues including California State University - Northridge, the Los Angeles
    Poetry Festival, KPFK's Inspiration House, and The World Stage as well as
    for the YWCA of Pasadena. Presenting poems relating to issues of Armenian
    identity in the diaspora and childhood experiences, Bedikian later
    commented, "Reading at the gallery in the presence of such artwork reminded
    me, once again, that the Armenian/Armenian-American artist's voice is alive
    and in significant progressive stages here in Los Angeles." She also noted
    that, "What is even more significant is that UCLA student groups have
    recognized the relevance of organizing such events. One can only hope for
    larger forums and diverse audiences in the future so that we can share our
    rich art forms. As an alumna of UCLA, I was especially honored and excited
    to read my poetry at this venue."

    Following the reading, Bedikian discussed her inspiration for writing and
    encouraged all interested writers to continue writing and expressing
    themselves through literary art. The evening ended with an a cappella
    performance of three Armenian songs by Soseh Keshishyan. Keshishyan, who
    has been singing at various venues for more than 10 years, is third-year
    Ethnomusicology student at UCLA.

    Sophomore, Sos Bagramyan, noted that "Samvel Saghatelyan's pieces were
    particularly interesting to me because of their intricate synthesis of
    eroticism, dark colors and written text. It was really refreshing to see so
    much talent and variety in the Armenian artistic community put on display
    at UCLA. Events like this that bring not only the artistic achievements of
    minorities like Armenians, but all arts in general into the academic forum
    should be more frequent and encouraged by the university."

    All artists were invited back to campus for the closing of the exhibition
    which was held on March 12th. There the artists mingled with the students
    and members of the community at large in attendance. "Youth and young
    energy is always inspirational for the artist and hopefully, in turn, the
    artist will be able to inspire the students," reflected Vahe Berberian.
    "The artist-audience relationship is always a symbiotic relationship and it
    is always nice to rekindle interests on both sides."

    ---------- Attachment # 1 of 1: "VIIISIONS" Photographs (3) ----------

    - 1 - Photo viewable/download-able at:
    http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/agsa/photos/2003-2004/030804ecaa-003pic.jpg
    - 1 - Caption: Myrna Douzjian (UCLA AGSA, organizing committee) introduces
    the artists to the audience at the gallery opening on March 8th.

    - 2 - Photo viewable/download-able at:
    http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/agsa/photos/2003-2004/031004ecaa-017pic.jpg
    - 2 - Caption: UCLA Alumna Lory Bedikian reads selections from her poetry
    to the students gathered at the Kerckhoff Hall Art Gallery on March 10th.

    - 3 - Photo viewable/download-able at:
    http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/agsa/photos/2003-2004/031004ecaa-018pic.jpg
    - 3 - Caption: UCLA students enjoy an evening poetry reading and a
    cappella performance.
Working...
X