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Inside Toronto, Ontario/Canada
Jan 27 2015
High Park artist's mixed-media piece commemorates 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide
Arleen McCallum hopes to publicly showcase artwork
Bloor West Villager
By Lisa Rainford
Genocides like the Holocaust and in Rwanda, where an estimated one
million Rwandans were killed in 1994, are well-known tragedies in
modern history.
Perhaps little known is the Armenian Genocide - the first genocide of
the 20th century - that saw two million Armenians living in Turkey
eliminated from their historic homeland through forced deportations
and massacres from 1915 to 1918.
High Park-area resident and artist Arleen McCallum hopes to raise
awareness of the massacre through a mixed-media piece she has created
in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in
Turkey. The centennial will be marked through events around the world
on April 24.
Her work, entitled Hepimiz Ermeniyiz (We are all Armenian), also
acknowledges the assassination of Armenien journalist and editor Hrant
Dink, who was killed in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. Dink was murdered
for continuously maintaining that the Armenian genocide did actually
occur, an allegation considered a crime against the state.
Inspired to visit Turkey for its architecture, art and culture -
particularly its rug-making, McCallum said her travels prompted her to
learn more about its history.
"Then Hrant Dink was murdered and I found myself focusing my attention
- and my work - on the historic plight of the Turkish Armenians and
the issue of freedom - freedom of speech and of religion," she said.
McCallum remained glued to the TV to watch hundreds of thousands of
Turks, Armenians, Muslims, Jews and Christians march in the streets of
Istanbul to mourn Dink and protest his murder. Many carried signs that
said, 'Hepimiz Hrant Dink'iz' (We are all Hrant Dink) and 'Hepimiz
Ermeniyiz' (We are all Armenian).
"It was the masses of people in the streets that really got my
attention," said McCallum during an interview at her home. "I hadn't
known about the Armenian genocide. I started reading about it. There's
this whole Turkish denial - 'We didn't do it, it was just part of the
war.'"
To produce the piece, a diptych in acrylic and mixed media, McCallum
experimented with recycled materials like foil, fabric and found
objects as well as archival photographs. She wanted to create an art
work that would "bear proper witness to a disastrous historical event
and the suffering and bravery of those who were targeted."
Although, she didn't want to include any of the "horrible" and
"barbaric" images of the genocide.
The work includes portraits of Armenian survivors and witnesses, the
Armenian flag, a reference to Dink's funeral procession and a map
marking the sites of concentration camps and massacres.
McCallum hopes to display the artwork publicly in honour of the centennial.
For further information about McCallum's commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide, visit www.arleenmccallum.ca
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5276433-high-park-artist-s-mixed-media-piece-commemorates-100th-anniversary-of-the-armenian-genocide/
Jan 27 2015
High Park artist's mixed-media piece commemorates 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide
Arleen McCallum hopes to publicly showcase artwork
Bloor West Villager
By Lisa Rainford
Genocides like the Holocaust and in Rwanda, where an estimated one
million Rwandans were killed in 1994, are well-known tragedies in
modern history.
Perhaps little known is the Armenian Genocide - the first genocide of
the 20th century - that saw two million Armenians living in Turkey
eliminated from their historic homeland through forced deportations
and massacres from 1915 to 1918.
High Park-area resident and artist Arleen McCallum hopes to raise
awareness of the massacre through a mixed-media piece she has created
in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in
Turkey. The centennial will be marked through events around the world
on April 24.
Her work, entitled Hepimiz Ermeniyiz (We are all Armenian), also
acknowledges the assassination of Armenien journalist and editor Hrant
Dink, who was killed in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. Dink was murdered
for continuously maintaining that the Armenian genocide did actually
occur, an allegation considered a crime against the state.
Inspired to visit Turkey for its architecture, art and culture -
particularly its rug-making, McCallum said her travels prompted her to
learn more about its history.
"Then Hrant Dink was murdered and I found myself focusing my attention
- and my work - on the historic plight of the Turkish Armenians and
the issue of freedom - freedom of speech and of religion," she said.
McCallum remained glued to the TV to watch hundreds of thousands of
Turks, Armenians, Muslims, Jews and Christians march in the streets of
Istanbul to mourn Dink and protest his murder. Many carried signs that
said, 'Hepimiz Hrant Dink'iz' (We are all Hrant Dink) and 'Hepimiz
Ermeniyiz' (We are all Armenian).
"It was the masses of people in the streets that really got my
attention," said McCallum during an interview at her home. "I hadn't
known about the Armenian genocide. I started reading about it. There's
this whole Turkish denial - 'We didn't do it, it was just part of the
war.'"
To produce the piece, a diptych in acrylic and mixed media, McCallum
experimented with recycled materials like foil, fabric and found
objects as well as archival photographs. She wanted to create an art
work that would "bear proper witness to a disastrous historical event
and the suffering and bravery of those who were targeted."
Although, she didn't want to include any of the "horrible" and
"barbaric" images of the genocide.
The work includes portraits of Armenian survivors and witnesses, the
Armenian flag, a reference to Dink's funeral procession and a map
marking the sites of concentration camps and massacres.
McCallum hopes to display the artwork publicly in honour of the centennial.
For further information about McCallum's commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide, visit www.arleenmccallum.ca
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5276433-high-park-artist-s-mixed-media-piece-commemorates-100th-anniversary-of-the-armenian-genocide/