GALLOWAY, NJ — Follow the lives of a circle of Ottoman Armenian relatives and their adventure of survival, migration and resurgence in the United States due to the 1915 Armenian genocide in the new exhibition at Richard E. Bjork at Stockton University.
“The Armenian genocide, the story of a family” follows Zakaria’s circle of relatives, his photos, memoirs, musical instruments, artifacts and non-public artwork, serving as a backdrop for the broader history of the Armenian genocide and similar problems, adding cultural loss and collective memory, the school said in a press release.
The new exhibit will be on display at the library through May 31. A public reception with guest speakers, Armenian food and music is scheduled for Jan. 28 at 3 p. m.
The grandchildren of Arek and Moses Zakarian made the exhibition imaginable through donations. The Zakarians settled in Philadelphia and their descendants still live in the domain today.
Two grandchildren who led the project, Susan Arpajian Jolley and Allan Arpajian, are the authors of “Out of My Great Sorrows: The Armenian Genocide and Artist Mary Zakarian” (Routledge Armenian Series, 2017).
The book documents the life of his aunt, Mary Zakarian, the daughter of Arek and Moses Zakarian, in the context of the feast of the survivors of the Armenian genocide in the United States.
Since the e-book attracted Stockton’s attention, the university has established a relationship with Jolley and Arpajian that has resulted in extensive public programming on Armenian history and the Armenian genocide and the progression of the Armenian Studies Initiative in Stockton. The leadership of Dr. Raz Segal, director of the MAHG program.
While “The Armenian Genocide, the Story of a Family” tells the complicated story of the attempted annihilation of the Ottoman Armenians, it also documents a legacy of survival, resilience and resurgence.
The Zakarian family’s legacy has broader significance, tactically connecting with reports from other survivor and refugee communities in southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. The exhibit will come with a video component that invites visitors and scholars to reflect on how those communities have shaped what it means to live in this region today, highlighting our unprecedented humanity and belonging.
In addition to the new exhibition, curator Ryann Casey has coordinated with Jolley and Arpajian to expand a similar long-term exhibition of some of Mary Zakarian’s paintings and sketches, which is also on display at the Richard E. Bjork.
If you have any questions about the exhibition or scheduling visits, please contact raz. segal@stockton. edu.
Confirm your attendance for the public and reception at http://surveymonkey. com/r/OneFamilysStory.
Get more news straight to your inbox. Sign up for alerts and loose patch bulletins.