Hrair Hawk Khatcherian

July 17, 2015 On Thursday July 30th 2015 at 6:30 PM, the Armenian Museum will be presenting a program and book release by the noted Canadian-Armenian photographer, Hrair Hawk Khatcherian.

His latest work titled “100: 1915-2015” includes over 1,000 photographs and is a visual record of the rich cultural heritage of Armenians that has survived and flourished. Beginning with Mt. Ararat and the story of Noah’s ark, the book reflects the rise and fall of Armenian kingdoms, the establishment an ebbing of Armenian communities in Armenia and in foreign lands, and the current status of Armenians today.

Hawk is the author of 12 other books on art and photography, and his latest book, the culmination of over 40 years of labor, is dedicated to the 100th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The book examines the role of Armenians around the world, and the waxing and waning of their churches and communities into the 21st century. Through images of locations, buildings and artifacts, he tells the stories of these ancient peoples. When communities flourish, they build new churches, when communities wane, the churches are abandoned and the congregation disappears. He also examines the transformation of old churches, either by renovation, or by reuse for different functions.

Hawk will provide a slide presentation about the new book, and will have copies available for sale at the presentation. Please join us in celebrating the Armenian legacy.

This event will take place Thursday July 30th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM in the Adele & Haig Der Manuelian Galleries, 3rd Floor.

Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public.

10th Annual Spring Sports Raffle

July 14, 2015

The Armenian Museum of America concluded its 10th annual Spring Sports Raffle, with great style and success, bringing in contributions that exceeded last year’s. This year’s ticket sales will help the museum continue its mission to showcase the rich Armenian history through great exhibitions and programs.

This year’s sports raffle fundraiser also marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. To commemorate this significant time in Armenian history, and in memory of all the victims of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian Museum will donate five percent of all proceeds to the Near East Foundation, an organization that was established in response to the Armenian Genocide.

The annual Spring Sports Raffle concluded with a lively party and reception for the participants, who enjoyed the Fenway-style menu of hotdogs, pizza, popcorn and beverages. Sports celebrity Bob Lobel drew the winning tickets to cheers and applause.  Winning prizes included a Grand Prize of 22 seats in the Fenway Park Luxury Box, as well as 11 other sets of tickets to see such favorites as the Patriots, the Bruins, the Celtics and more Red Sox games.  Congratulations to all the winners!

• Grand Prize Winner – Joy Renjilian-Burgy
• 2nd Prize Winner – David Aykanian
• 3rd Prize Winner – Roger Dilbarian
• 4th Prize Winner – Rev. Fr. Krikor Sabounjian
• 5th Prize Winner – Ed Shooshanian
• 6th Prize Winner – Philip J. Notopoulos
• 7th Prize Winner – Gregory Adamian
• 8th Prize Winner – Arakel Almasian
• 9th Prize Winner – Dan Hausmann
• 10th Prize Winner – Harold Partamian
• World Series Tickets (If the Red Sox win the Pennant) – Richard Yanofsky

The Armenian Museum of America extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who bought tickets, to our donors, trustees, and everyone who worked to help make the 2015 Sports Raffle a huge success.

Catholicos Aram I visits the Armenian Museum of America

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 His Holiness Aram I, Armenian Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, accompanied with Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, the Primate of the Eastern Prelacy and Archbishop Anushavan Tanyelian, visited the Armenian Museum of America, where they were warmly greeted by a number of ALMA trustees and friends.

During a tour of the museum and its collections led by ALMA Director Berj Chekijian and Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian, the Catholicos admired recent extensive renovations to the building and was astonished at the number of artifacts ALMA has acquired over the past forty five plus years. Vehapar was particularly interested in several of the religious treasures currently on exhibit, including the reliquaries, the 13th century Garabed Gospel (which he had blessed during his visit to Watertown in October 2005), and the two 19th century chalices from the Armash seminary in Turkey that were recently added to the collections. He also commented on the museum’s permanent exhibit on the Armenian Genocide, offering suggestions to expand the exhibit in certain areas. As the tour entered the Karsh Gallery, His Holiness was very impressed with the permanent exhibit and recalled how he had been photographed by the famous photographer in the mid-1990s.

Before ending his visit, Catholicos Aram gave a moving talk in praise of the museum’s trustees, staff, and local community for their heroic efforts in creating such a professional institution to represent Armenian culture. He went on to extoll the larger community to support the museum through donating artifacts and providing financial support. The visit to the museum, which was arranged through the efforts of ALMA Board members Michele Kolligian and Bob Khederian, came towards the end of a major Pontifical Tour to the United States that included Genocide commemorations in New York City and Washington