A Year of Hetq in Pictures
Gyumri, Shirak Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2005
Now that my contract has ended with Hetq Online has finished, we’re holding an exhibition at the Naregatsi Art Institute next week. The venue is located on Yerevan’s Vernisage.
The Naregatsi Art Institute, incorporated in 2002, is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Armenia’s existing cultural heritage through supporting Armenian contemporary artists and creating a forum in which the spirit of art and the common voice can resonate freely.
Hope everyone in Yerevan can attend the exhibition which will run 24-27 July, and if anyone out there wants to consider a proposal to fund my work with Hetq for another year please contact me on onewmphoto@yahoo.com, or come along to see the work and to talk in person.
Thanks to the Foreign Ministry of Norway for funding the work that resulted in hundreds of photographs being published by Hetq Online as well as in this exhibition.
Unfortunately, given the lack of professional framing services in Armenia — and the high cost of what exists relative to Hetq Online’s budget for this event — please don’t expect much in the way of presentation.
Nevertheless, a very big thanks to someone out there. You know who you are. Your constructive criticism and encouragement helped me a lot, as it always does. Nothing would be possible without it, so thanks again. In a way, this exhibition is also for you.
Incidently, copies of my book, Armenia: Poverty, Transition & Democracy, will also be available for sale at the opening priced at 5,000 AMD or 2,500 AMD for local students.
Well, the opening came and went. Seemed okay, and I was glad to see some good people I know in civil society attend as friends and supporters. That meant a lot to me. Otherwise, two TV crews covered the event, but I daresday one will not air the interview because of what I said. Who knows? I don’t watch TV here.
Regardless, good to see some people I wasn’t expecting to show up at the event. Anyway, pics will be up for a few days more, so if you’re in town go and take a look. Many of the stories behind the photos on display — along with other pics — have been posted on this blog and also as articles and photo stories on Hetq Online.
Special thanks to someone out there for the pocket sized Tigger. It will now become my good luck charm and go everywhere with me. Probably it was the highlight of my day. Thanks. I was touched. Really meant a lot to me and put me in a good mood for the whole day.
Comment by Onnik — July 24, 2006 @ 8:20 pm
Hetq Online has a short piece on the opening of the exhibition in Armenian at:
http://www.hetq.am/arm/culture/0607-photo.html
Comment by Onnik — July 24, 2006 @ 10:55 pm
Thanks for this exhibition. The photos in original are more impressive then on the computer screen. They are great! I hope this will rise people’s awareness on the vital issues you’ve worked on.
And thanks a lot for the book, at last
Comment by Zarchka — July 24, 2006 @ 10:58 pm
Zara, sorry for the delay with the book and thanks to you too — as always.
Comment by Onnik — July 24, 2006 @ 11:06 pm
How can we buy the book,”Armenia: Povery, Transition and Democracy” ?
I live in New Jersey. Please let me know.
Anne
Comment by Anne Shirinian — July 25, 2006 @ 12:42 am
Hi Anne,
Thanks for your enquiry posted as a comment and also sent to my email addresses. Sorry for the late response, but was busy up until yesterday with a lot of things. Anyway, re. the book, it’s probably easiest to pick up a copy of the book direct from myself or Hetq Online where I’ll leave some copies. If anyone wants to get a copy when they come over, or through others who are visiting Armenia, contact me on my Yahoo address or via Hetq .
I can ship copies, but I’d rather not ship anything other than a minimum of 5 copies because of problems with wire transfers here and the high cost of cashing foreign cheques. Western Union and MoneyGrams are another option, but I’m not sure how that system would work for say, just one copy of the book and postage and packing, which in total would come to about 9,000 AMD.
That said, Ara Sarafian of the Gomidas Institute / Garod Books in London should have stock which he can ship. Contact him through http://www.garodbooks.com/.
Cheers,
Onnik
Comment by Onnik — July 25, 2006 @ 9:24 am