Yousuf Karsh Redefined

For generations, Yousuf Karsh defined the photographic portrait, creating unforgettable images of statesmen, writers, actors, artists, musicians, and scientists. His 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill, on view on our galleries, launched his international career and established him as one of the world’s most celebrated portrait photographers.

But Karsh’s work extends far beyond his iconic portraits. In the latest installment of “Treasures from Our Collection,” we explore the lesser-known sides of Karsh’s career from his early photographic experiments and personal images to gifts presented to Yousuf and his beloved wife Estrellita. These new acquisitions, some of which were donated to our collection by the Estate of Estrellita Karsh, reveal a more intimate side of the artist and his extraordinary ability to capture the humanity of every person he photographed.

“Treasures from Our Collection, Where Every Object Tells a Story” is a video series sponsored by a generous donation from Michele M. Kolligian, President of the AMoA’s Board of Trustees.

A Ballot for a New Armenia

As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence on Sept. 21, we look to an object in our collection that captures a pivotal moment in history. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia embarked on the difficult process of establishing itself as an independent nation. The transition brought political, social, and economic change. Yet, alongside these challenges came the opportunity to shape the country’s own democratic future.

This ballot is a small but powerful reminder of that historic transition. It represents a moment when Armenians were no longer participating in a Soviet political system, but were beginning to exercise the rights and responsibilities of an independent nation. It was donated to our collection by Dr. Hayk Demoyan, one of our esteemed Academic Advisors.

Treasures from Our Collection, Where Every Object Tells a Story, is a video series sponsored by a generous donation from Michele M. Kolligian, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.

The Calligraphy of Parseg Kashishian

Discover the inspiring story of Parseg Kashishian, whose lifelong dream began at the age of 12 when he envisioned one day handwriting the Armenian Bible. At 58, he began turning that dream into reality through the ancient art of Armenian calligraphy, dedicating approximately 25 hours to each page. We are honored to have in our collection five of Kashishian's handcrafted volumes, including his masterpiece, the Mashtots Bible. Each book features exquisite calligraphy and traditional Armenian silver covers created by master silversmiths.

The Treasures from Our Collection video series is generously sponsored by Michele M. Kolligian, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.

How Museum Objects Inspired the Graphic Novel 'Fustuk'

The Armenian Museum of America welcomes Russ Manning Award-nominated writer and illustrator Robert Mgrdich Apelian for this month's Treasures from Our Collection video. Robert talks about his graphic novel, Fustuk, and how he was inspired by the Armenian and Persian cultures to create a world for his story. The book references Armenian art and artifacts, many examples of which you can find in our galleries.

Fustuk follows an Armenian family in a fantasy version of the medieval Persian Empire who strike a deal with a magical div to save the life of their mother. The book weaves together multiple timelines in a story of Armenian family and food, speaking to a diasporic culture and how those within it relate to their different worlds."

The Treasures from Our Collection video series is generously sponsored by Michele M. Kolligian, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.

Honoring the Legacy of Rev. Vartan Hartunian

Located on the Museum’s second floor adjacent to the Genocide Exhibit, a new display case honors the life and legacy of Rev. Vartan Hartunian, a founder of the Armenian Museum of America and a devoted minister of the First Armenian Church of Belmont. Born in 1915, Rev. Hartunian dedicated his life to faith, education, and remembrance. Following his retirement from ministry, he remained active in the Museum.

At the heart of this installation is a powerful book, Neither to Laugh Nor to Weep, rooted in his father’s firsthand experiences during the Armenian Genocide. Rev. Hartunian spent over 20 years bringing his father’s account to print, and he guided audiences in understanding the moral complexities of genocide.

The new exhibit honoring Rev. Abraham Hartunian and Rev. Vartan Hartunian is sponsored by Dr. Byron Hartunian and Dr. Nelson Hartunian. The Treasures from Our Collection video series is sponsored by Michele M. Kolligian, President of the Museum's Board of Trustees.

Armenian Studies Book Collection

Andrew Kzirian Donates Armenian Studies Book Collection to Our Mesrob G. Boyajian Research Library

Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian shares a few highlights of the nearly 2,000 books on Armenian Studies collected over a lifetime by Andrew Kzirian and generously donated to our Mesrob G. Boyajian Library last year.

A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Kzirian has been a lifelong activist in the Armenian community. He credits his family and community for inspiring him to be an advocate for Armenian issues. In particular, his late mother Sara Yasaian Kzirian helped instill in him a feeling of pride in his heritage.

Mr. Kzirian received his bachelor’s degree in education from Temple University and his master’s degree in near eastern history and Armenian Studies from UCLA.

He started his career as an educator, first as an instructor at Bucks County Community College, as the first principal at Hovnanian Armenian School and director of the Armenian Bilingual Project for the Watertown School Department. He went on to pursue a successful career in sales, including Interstate Lift, the family business.

Mr. Kzirian spent a memorable summer as director of Camp Haiastan and wrote numerous articles. He was invited by the Armenian Committee for Cultural Relations to attend a summer institute for Armenian teachers from the Diaspora. He was also awarded a scholarship by the Armenian Relief Society to study Armenian at the Nishan Palandjian Djemaran in Beirut.

A highlight of his involvement in Armenian activities was being selected as a World Delegate to attend the World Assembly at the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias. He was given the Vahan Cardashian Award by the Armenian National Committee in 2021.

Mr. Kzirian lives in New Jersey with his wife, Madonna, and is the proud father of Antranig and Jim Kzirian.

The Treasures from Our Collection video series is generously sponsored by Michele M. Kolligian, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, and it offers a rare glimpse into our collection with an emphasis on objects and artifacts that are not currently on display.

Echoes of Armenian Craftsmanship

In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian has two objects that demonstrate trades of our past that together stand as a testament to Armenian craftsmanship. One is a silver weathered whip handle once used for guiding livestock and the other a delicate glass cutter crafted from bone and set with a diamond. Each object tells its own story: the whip, with its worn leather and intricate carvings, whispered of life on a distant farm, while the glass cutter, with bygone artistry of precision and elegance.

WWII Painting Skimmed by Bullets

We have a painting by Private John Kazanjian of Arlington, MA, with an incredible story! John served as a combat engineer in the U.S. army during World War II. Just as he completed a painting depicting a war scene from the beach in Normandy, bullets from a German war plane skimmed the surface of the canvas. Both John and the painting survived this difficult time during our history.

Armenian Customs Depicted in Folk Art Painting

In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian shares a painting by an unknown artist which depicts a scene from Easter. In the Armenian Church there are five great feast days (Daghavars). They are Christmas, Easter, Vartavar, Assumption of Saint Mary, and Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The week preceding each Daghavar is a week of fasting, except for Easter which has its own seven week fast (lent). The day after Easter is called merelotz, which is a solemn day for remembrance.

3-in-1 Wedding Band

We have a unique family heirloom from 1887 that was donated by author, actress, and former TV news anchor Cathy Burnham Martin. The ring belonged to her grandmother and is also part of her new historical fiction trilogy. Made by an Armenian jeweler, two adjoining hands meet in the middle to embrace a gold heart that opens up to three separate rings.

Dance the Bijo with Us

Dance is a vital part of Armenian culture, and its preservation is important to us here at the Museum. In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian takes us step-by-step to learn one variation of the popular Bijo dance that originated in Sebastia.

While this video is not about an artifact in our collection, many people know that Gary’s talent and passion is in preserving and teaching Armenian folk dance, so it is not forgotten. Gary demonstrates this high energy dance, which was adapted as Sebastatsis immigrated to communities like Springfield and Providence in the aftermath of the Genocide.

Bathtub Gin

During the prohibition era (1920-1933), many households in the U.S. distilled their own alcohol. "Bathtub gin" refers to any style of homemade spirit made in amateur conditions. The copper still in this video was made by Mihran Aljian and it was shared amongst many Dikranagertsi households in New Jersey. Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian explains how this unusual device was used.

A Replica of a 15th Century Khachkar

A khachkar, or Armenian cross-stone, is a carved memorial that often has additional motifs such as the tree of life and eternity symbol. The artifact in this video is one of two replicas. The original 15th century khachkar was gifted by the late Catholicos Vazgen I to St. Vartan’s Cathedral in New York. Before it was installed, a casting was made for two exact replicas, one of which is on display at the Museum of Natural History in New York and the other was donated to our collection.

Cabinet of Curiosities from the Holy Land

In the late 1800’s, many Armenian families were on the move to the United States in search of a more stable life. They immigrated with skills that benefited America in many industries. Paul Iskiyan was a Protestant missionary that applied his entrepreneurial spirit in several areas. One was the sale of madzoon, while another is a “cabinet of curiosities” from the Holy Land that functioned as a small museum in its own right.

A Vintage Christmas Tree

Christmas trees became popular in the 16th century when people would bring decorated trees into their homes to resemble the winter solstice. In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian tells us about a visit from Hayk Demoyan, one of our esteemed Academic Advisors. Dr. Demoyan suggested adding artifacts from Soviet Armenia to our collection, so we acquired several items including this vintage Christmas tree from the 1960s.

Armenian Recipe Books

Sharing food is hugely important to Armenian culture and it’s a great time of the year as we celebrate Thanksgiving. We have a collection of recipe books in our Mesrob G. Boyajian Library dating back to 1907! Cookbooks published in the 1900’s consisted of simple recipes with locally sourced ingredients. Some books published later highlight plants and folklore associated with Armenian recipes. In this video, Gary-Lind Sinanian gives us a peek into recipe books that can suit any kind of appetite. A few of them are even available in our Gift Shop.

Adorned Bridal Tradition

Did you know that it was customary for the woman who had the most children to place a belt on the bride prior to her wedding ceremony? The hope was that the bride would also have many children. The groom's family would present a silver belt asking for the bride's hand in marriage and the bride would wear the belt on her wedding day. In this video Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian showcases a beautifully designed silver belt in our collection.

Folk Dance Scores and Instruction

Sometimes we find references to Armenian culture in the most unusual places! In this video, Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian scrolls through the 1927 book “American Indian and Other Folk Dances” which includes the first English description of the folk dance “Lepo Lele,” as well as instructions of how to dance to this and several other Armenian songs. Put on your dancing shoes and see if this sounds familiar to you!

Century-old Kitchenware

Thanks to the generosity of our friend Diane Mott, we have two items in our collection from Armenian kitchens of the late 1800’s. Diane is a renowned textile specialist as well as a former curator of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and a curator from the Young Museum in CA. She donated a metal pot and a colander both of which were commonly used handmade kitchen tools. In this video, Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian showcased these intricately designed and inscribed pieces that were found in homes of that time period.

Women’s Accessories, and a Painting from Kiev

This week we are sharing two accessories from the late 1800’s. One is a metal box engraved with floral designs and the other is Armenian needlework from the region of Erzurum. Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian also shares a painting of Geghard Monastery by Ukranian-Armenian painter Vladimir Savadian, which was donated to the Museum after his exhibition here in the 1990’s.