Written by Maureen Canney
When one hears about the private vaults of a museum, it conjures images of a treasure hunt or some archaeological endeavor. At the Armenian Museum of America, they have termed a new exhibit, Gandzaran—an Armenian word related to the monastic vaults of old, where religious works were kept safe and protected. The Museum has opened its vault to this contemporary/modern art collection showcasing 39 works by 24 artists from around the world.
Ryann Casey, curator of the exhibit with the assistance of co-curators Gary Lind-Sinanian and Elias Trout, speaks with affection and reverence to what she witnessed as she surveyed the paragons kept secure in the museum’s vault. “This was a treasure hunt with way more contemporary art represented than I originally thought. As I was going through the archives I was seeing things I had not anticipated. Armenian art is venerated for its historical content but this spoke to a rich and diverse collection of contemporary art.”
In one instance, Casey caught the glint of gold on a shelf and pulled out a Martin Barooshian etching of Gomidas Vartabed which she notes as “one of those perfect moments you’re looking for,” as she built on the idea of showing what is otherwise unseen. She was stunned by the “supremely spectacular gems that she could not wait for people to see.”
Detail from Apo Torosyan (b. 1942), Bread 214 (1994), mixed media, donated by the artist, 2001.261.2.
From Apo Torosyan’s Bread 214, an austere statement of poverty and famine with his use of individual pieces of bread, to Minas Avetisyan’s Richard, acrylic on board with its musings of colors and lines, these artists are represented in sculptures, paintings, photographs, etchings, and works in texture, tone, and food.
Casey wanted to show the forward movement of contemporary artists from the genocide of 1915 to now. “What does contemporary art look like in contemporary times? You see different mediums, movements, eras, and approaches to art, even the materials that the artist uses. It’s all important and pivotal to understanding this robust and complicated aspect of what is Armenian art,” she explains.
This exhibition speaks to the sundry and unique works of art that are receiving a moment to breathe and inspire, irritate or confound the audience—as art should be allowed to do through display and query.