PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
E-mail: hq@naasr.org
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian

LECTURE ON OTTOMAN ARMENIAN PHOTOGRAPHS IN GETTY MUSEUM

Van Aroian of Worcester, MA, will give an illustrated lecture on "A
World in Transition: Armenians in the Ottoman Photographs Collection of
the Getty Museum," at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, 15105 Mission Hills
Road, Mission Hills, CA, on Sunday, December 3, at 3:30 p.m. The
lecture will be co-sponsored by the Museum and the National Association
for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).

The Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, houses the Getty Research
Library, which contains an impressive 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.

Sampling of an Important Collection

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. On a fundamental level this
collection provides investigators with a rare opportunity actually to
see aspects of Ottoman life and culture – a presentation of a world in
transition captured for succeeding generations. 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 first presented the results of his
investigations into the Getty’s collection in an article in NAASR’s
Journal of Armenian Studies (vol. 7, no.1, Fall-Winter 2002-2003)
entitled "Ottoman Photographs at the J. Paul Getty Research Institute:
Armenian Themes and Contributions." There he offered an overview of the
collection and provided detailed analyses of several photographs of
direct or indirect relevance to the Armenians.

Aroian earned a BA at Boston University and MA 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. He is currently a member of the NAASR Board of Directors.

More information on Aroian’s lecture may be had by calling
617-489-1610, by fax at 617-484-1759, by e-mail at hq@naasr.org, or by
writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478; or by contacting
the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at 818-838-4862 or by e-mail at
aem@ararat-eskijian-museum.com.

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Belmont, Mass.
November 13, 2006