E-Flux
Jan 31 2015
Republic of Armenia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
Armenity/Hayoutioun
The National Pavilion of the Republic of Armenia
Opening: May 6, 2015, 7`9pm
The Island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni
Venice
www.armenity.net
Contemporary artists from the Armenian Diaspora
Haig Aivazian, Lebanon; Nigol Bezjian, Syria/USA; Anna Boghiguian
Egypt/Canada; Hera BüyüktaÅ?çıyan, Turkey; Silvina Der-Meguerditchian,
Argentina/Germany; Rene Gabri & Ayreen Anastas, Iran/Palestine/USA;
Mekhitar Garabedian, Belgium; Aikaterini Gegisian, Greece; Yervant
Gianikian & Angela Ricci Lucchi, Italy; Aram Jibilian, USA; Nina
Katchadourian, USA/Finland; Melik Ohanian, France; Mikayel Ohanjanyan,
Armenia/Italy; Rosana Palazyan, Brasil; Sarkis, Turkey/France; Hrair
Sarkissian, Syria/UK
Curated by Adelina Cüberyan v. Fürstenberg*
Opening May 6, 2015, from 7 to 9pm
Special shuttle service ACTV vaporetto from the Giardini to the Island
of San Lazzaro. ACTV vaporetto Number 20 from San Marco Zaccaria to
San Lazzaro
In this symbolic year 2015, on the occasion of the 100th commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of
Armenia has dedicated its pavilion to the artists of the Armenian
diaspora. It will be located at the Mekhitarist Monastery on the
island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni.
The curatorial concept of armenity** implies the notion of
displacement and territory, justice and reconciliation, ethos and
resilience. Regardless of their place of birth, the selected artists
carry within their identity the memory of their origins. Through their
talent and willpower, these grandchildren of survivors of the Armenian
Genocide'the first genocide of the 20th century'rebuilt a
`transnational assembly' from the remnants of a shattered identity.
Their ingrained concern for memory, justice and reconciliation
skillfully transcends notions of territory, borders and geography.
Whether they were born in Beirut, Lyon, Los Angeles, or Cairo and
wherever they may reside, these global citizens constantly question
and reinvent their armenity.
Armenity is being held in a setting of special significance for the
Armenian diaspora. It was on the Island of San Lazzaro, located
between San Marco and the Lido and facing the Giardini of the
Biennale, that in 1717 the Armenian monk Mekhitar established the
Mekhitarist Order. It was here that in the early 19th century Lord
Byron studied the Armenian language. Many important works of European
literature and religious texts were first translated into Armenian on
this scenic island. Over its 300-year history the Monastery of San
Lazzaro with its gardens, former print shop, cloisters, museum and
library, has helped to preserve Armenia's unique cultural heritage,
much of which might otherwise have been lost.
An accompanying catalogue published by Skira, Milan will contain
colour reproductions and texts in English and Armenian. An
introduction, forewords and curatorial texts will be followed by four
pages dedicated to each of the 16 artists: one page of text by each
artist and essays by international art critics and writers such as
Ruben Arevshatyan, Cecile Bourne, Ginevra Bria, Adam Budak, David
Kazanjian, Berthold Reiss, Gabi Scardi, Hrag Vartanian and three pages
with images and drawings of the works. The third part of the catalogue
will contain essays by New York-based art historian and independent
curator Neery Melkonian and London-based art writer and Ibraaz editor
Stephanie Bailey. The catalogue will end with the Armenian
translations of the texts.
Press contact:
Lucia Crespi, Milan
T +39 02 89415532 / T +39 02 89401645 / T +39 338 8090545 /
[email protected] / [email protected]
The Lyon-based Bullukian Foundation is proud to be a partner of Armenity.
*Adelina Cüberyan von Fürstenberg is a renowned international curator.
A pioneer in the field, she is known for broadening contemporary art
to include a multicultural approach. Founder and first Director of the
Centre d'Art Contemporain de Genève, she directed as well the
MAGASIN`Centre National d'Art Contemporain in Grenoble. In 1996 she
founded ART for The World, a unique NGO working with contemporary art,
independent cinema and human rights.
**Armenity derives from the French word Arménité, a notion which
expresses the particular characteristics of the grandchildren of
Armenian Genocide survivors. These include a state of constant flux, a
diversity of self-definition, and a modern and often subjective sense
of being-in-the-world.
http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/2015-venice-biennale/
Jan 31 2015
Republic of Armenia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
Armenity/Hayoutioun
The National Pavilion of the Republic of Armenia
Opening: May 6, 2015, 7`9pm
The Island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni
Venice
www.armenity.net
Contemporary artists from the Armenian Diaspora
Haig Aivazian, Lebanon; Nigol Bezjian, Syria/USA; Anna Boghiguian
Egypt/Canada; Hera BüyüktaÅ?çıyan, Turkey; Silvina Der-Meguerditchian,
Argentina/Germany; Rene Gabri & Ayreen Anastas, Iran/Palestine/USA;
Mekhitar Garabedian, Belgium; Aikaterini Gegisian, Greece; Yervant
Gianikian & Angela Ricci Lucchi, Italy; Aram Jibilian, USA; Nina
Katchadourian, USA/Finland; Melik Ohanian, France; Mikayel Ohanjanyan,
Armenia/Italy; Rosana Palazyan, Brasil; Sarkis, Turkey/France; Hrair
Sarkissian, Syria/UK
Curated by Adelina Cüberyan v. Fürstenberg*
Opening May 6, 2015, from 7 to 9pm
Special shuttle service ACTV vaporetto from the Giardini to the Island
of San Lazzaro. ACTV vaporetto Number 20 from San Marco Zaccaria to
San Lazzaro
In this symbolic year 2015, on the occasion of the 100th commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of
Armenia has dedicated its pavilion to the artists of the Armenian
diaspora. It will be located at the Mekhitarist Monastery on the
island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni.
The curatorial concept of armenity** implies the notion of
displacement and territory, justice and reconciliation, ethos and
resilience. Regardless of their place of birth, the selected artists
carry within their identity the memory of their origins. Through their
talent and willpower, these grandchildren of survivors of the Armenian
Genocide'the first genocide of the 20th century'rebuilt a
`transnational assembly' from the remnants of a shattered identity.
Their ingrained concern for memory, justice and reconciliation
skillfully transcends notions of territory, borders and geography.
Whether they were born in Beirut, Lyon, Los Angeles, or Cairo and
wherever they may reside, these global citizens constantly question
and reinvent their armenity.
Armenity is being held in a setting of special significance for the
Armenian diaspora. It was on the Island of San Lazzaro, located
between San Marco and the Lido and facing the Giardini of the
Biennale, that in 1717 the Armenian monk Mekhitar established the
Mekhitarist Order. It was here that in the early 19th century Lord
Byron studied the Armenian language. Many important works of European
literature and religious texts were first translated into Armenian on
this scenic island. Over its 300-year history the Monastery of San
Lazzaro with its gardens, former print shop, cloisters, museum and
library, has helped to preserve Armenia's unique cultural heritage,
much of which might otherwise have been lost.
An accompanying catalogue published by Skira, Milan will contain
colour reproductions and texts in English and Armenian. An
introduction, forewords and curatorial texts will be followed by four
pages dedicated to each of the 16 artists: one page of text by each
artist and essays by international art critics and writers such as
Ruben Arevshatyan, Cecile Bourne, Ginevra Bria, Adam Budak, David
Kazanjian, Berthold Reiss, Gabi Scardi, Hrag Vartanian and three pages
with images and drawings of the works. The third part of the catalogue
will contain essays by New York-based art historian and independent
curator Neery Melkonian and London-based art writer and Ibraaz editor
Stephanie Bailey. The catalogue will end with the Armenian
translations of the texts.
Press contact:
Lucia Crespi, Milan
T +39 02 89415532 / T +39 02 89401645 / T +39 338 8090545 /
[email protected] / [email protected]
The Lyon-based Bullukian Foundation is proud to be a partner of Armenity.
*Adelina Cüberyan von Fürstenberg is a renowned international curator.
A pioneer in the field, she is known for broadening contemporary art
to include a multicultural approach. Founder and first Director of the
Centre d'Art Contemporain de Genève, she directed as well the
MAGASIN`Centre National d'Art Contemporain in Grenoble. In 1996 she
founded ART for The World, a unique NGO working with contemporary art,
independent cinema and human rights.
**Armenity derives from the French word Arménité, a notion which
expresses the particular characteristics of the grandchildren of
Armenian Genocide survivors. These include a state of constant flux, a
diversity of self-definition, and a modern and often subjective sense
of being-in-the-world.
http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/2015-venice-biennale/