NAASR PRESENTS TALK ABOUT ARMENIAN PHOTO COLLECTION

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
Oct 6 2005

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research will present
“Armenian Photographs in the Getty Museum Collection,” an illustrated
lecture by Van Aroian, on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. at the NAASR
Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont.

The Getty Museum in Los Angeles houses the Getty Research Library,
which contains a collection of Ottoman photographs. This collection
is an invaluable resource for Ottoman scholars, ethnographers,
historians of Ottoman photography, and students of Armenian Ottoman
life. Furthermore, this collection provides a valuable resource for
an investigator interested in developing the significant contribution
of Armenian photographers to the early development of photography
throughout the Ottoman Empire.

The program will provide a visual presentation and sampling of the
Ottoman photo collection at the Getty Research Institute, with a focus
on its Armenian flavor and contributions. These photos will provide
us the opportunity to walk down memory lane and share together some
social and historic commentary.

Van Aroian spent some six weeks in 1999-2001 looking through the
Getty’s Ottoman photograph collection. He earned a bachelor’s degree
at Boston University and a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies
at Harvard University. He was a fellow in Urban Geography at Clark
University and an Urban Planner and Deputy Director of the Worcester
Redevelopment Authority. He later joined his brother in-law, Kevork,
and wife Mary Balekdjian Aroian in importing and retailing Oriental
carpets.

Admission is free (donations accepted). A reception will follow
the program. For more information call 617-489-1610, or e-mail
hq@naasr.org.