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A GUARDIAN OF HIS CITY'S HISTORY
by Kate Phillips
States News Service
July 12, 2011 Tuesday
The following information was released by the Open Society Institute:
Documentary projects are begun for many reasons. One of them is to
provide evidence, whether of something in danger of disappearing, or
of a crime taking place. The project for which Hayk Bianjyan received
an Open Society Documentary Photography Project Production Grant aims
to provide both types of evidence.
Bianjyan's home of Yerevan, Armenia, has for several years been
undergoing a process of rapid redevelopment. Large-scale construction
projects have been overtaking historical neighborhoods at lightning
speed. At 2,800 years old, Yerevan is one of the world's oldest
inhabited cities, yet few of its secular pre-medieval buildings
remain today.
Though many residents hold legally recognized deeds to their property,
forced evictions, and demolitions are widespread. For years, Bianjyan
has been photographing the eviction process in an attempt to expose
vast violations of property rights. At the same time, he has compiled
an ever-growing archive of residents' family photographs, architectural
details, and historical documents that show the unique character of
the changing neighborhoods.
Jessica Murray, the director of Al-Liquindoi, the photographic
education program which led workshops for the grantees, says of
Bianjyan, "I think of Hayk as a guardian of Yerevan's history. A
social activist of sorts, with his heart firmly rooted in the past,
he is driven by the desire and need to preserve the city's stories."
In discussing his project, Bianjyan refers to the stories his
grandmother would tell about another era-stories that have left
him with a sense of longing: "I miss old times, when everything
was slightly different. When people met more often, they kept in
touch more, they shared their joys and sorrows more. People have
become lonely these days. They are alone with their problems. They
are afraid to share," says Bianjyan. Through his work, Bianjyan has
created opportunities for this type of exchange to happen.
Last week, on July 5, a film by Bianjyan incorporating his own
photographs and the archival material screened in an open-air showing
on the newly built Northern Avenue, where many of the demolitions
took place. The turnout was fantastic-many residents of the recently
demolished historic districts were present, as well as local arts,
architects and historians. Additionally, local press and government
representatives attended-a step toward public acknowledgment of these
violations of property rights. On Monday, July 11, selections from
the film screened on local television and future screenings are being
scheduled throughout Armenia.
by Kate Phillips
States News Service
July 12, 2011 Tuesday
The following information was released by the Open Society Institute:
Documentary projects are begun for many reasons. One of them is to
provide evidence, whether of something in danger of disappearing, or
of a crime taking place. The project for which Hayk Bianjyan received
an Open Society Documentary Photography Project Production Grant aims
to provide both types of evidence.
Bianjyan's home of Yerevan, Armenia, has for several years been
undergoing a process of rapid redevelopment. Large-scale construction
projects have been overtaking historical neighborhoods at lightning
speed. At 2,800 years old, Yerevan is one of the world's oldest
inhabited cities, yet few of its secular pre-medieval buildings
remain today.
Though many residents hold legally recognized deeds to their property,
forced evictions, and demolitions are widespread. For years, Bianjyan
has been photographing the eviction process in an attempt to expose
vast violations of property rights. At the same time, he has compiled
an ever-growing archive of residents' family photographs, architectural
details, and historical documents that show the unique character of
the changing neighborhoods.
Jessica Murray, the director of Al-Liquindoi, the photographic
education program which led workshops for the grantees, says of
Bianjyan, "I think of Hayk as a guardian of Yerevan's history. A
social activist of sorts, with his heart firmly rooted in the past,
he is driven by the desire and need to preserve the city's stories."
In discussing his project, Bianjyan refers to the stories his
grandmother would tell about another era-stories that have left
him with a sense of longing: "I miss old times, when everything
was slightly different. When people met more often, they kept in
touch more, they shared their joys and sorrows more. People have
become lonely these days. They are alone with their problems. They
are afraid to share," says Bianjyan. Through his work, Bianjyan has
created opportunities for this type of exchange to happen.
Last week, on July 5, a film by Bianjyan incorporating his own
photographs and the archival material screened in an open-air showing
on the newly built Northern Avenue, where many of the demolitions
took place. The turnout was fantastic-many residents of the recently
demolished historic districts were present, as well as local arts,
architects and historians. Additionally, local press and government
representatives attended-a step toward public acknowledgment of these
violations of property rights. On Monday, July 11, selections from
the film screened on local television and future screenings are being
scheduled throughout Armenia.