PRESS RELEASE
Naregatsi Art Institute
Vartanats 16/1
Yerevan, Armenia
Contacts: Seta Melkonian or Seta Iskandarian
email: seta@naregatsi.org

SHUSHI’S TEENS WITH CAMERAS

The Naregatsi Art Institute at Vartanants 16/1 in Yerevan, Armenia is
proud to present the first photography exhibition by Shushi’s Teens
With Cameras on Friday July 22nd, 2005 at 7pm. Join us and meet the
eight teens who will come from Shushi for the event.

Shushi’s Teens With Cameras was created by Seta Iskandarian, an
American-Armenian volunteer with the Naregatsi Art Institute in
Shushi. Seta was born in Caracas, Venezuela and currently lives in
the Boston area. She has been living and teaching photography to the
teens in Shushi since April.

The photographs taken by the children are not merely examples of
remarkable observation and talent; they reflect something much larger,
morally encouraging, and even politically volatile: art as an
immensely liberating and empowering force.

Shushi’s Teens With Cameras’ Goals:

1 To empower marginalized teens in Shushi by giving
them a voice and form of creative expression through
the medium of photography.
2 To teach the international community about
Nakorno-Karabagh and the difficult circumstances these
teens live in.
3 To give Shushi’s teens an opportunity for a better
life through education.

“These teens are not like the teens we know back home. Their needs
are simple; food, shelter, warm clothes and heat in the winter and
most importantly an opportunity for a better education. They were
born during the Karabagh War (1989-1994) and their parents have faced
harsh circumstances to bring them into this world. Today, they are
growing up in a fragile peace where the uncertainties of life and
peace in their country are evident all around them. Unfortunately,
the reality is that the world outside the Armenian Diaspora does not
know of their problems,” said Seta Iskandarian.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress