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A snapshot from our opening reception of the latest contemporary exhibition "Filtered Identity: The Art of Tigran Tsitoghdzyan.” On view through February 2025.

We are thrilled to share that our exhibitions and programming are flourishing, attracting record numbers of visitors. Our galleries--featuring a stunning array of contemporary, medieval, and ancient art--stand alongside the finest museums in the country. We have established ourselves as a premier destination in Boston, welcoming both Armenian and non-Armenian audiences alike.

Here are just a few highlights of our recent achievements:

• Record Attendance: Each year, we welcome thousands of visitors to our expansive three floors of gallery space. Our new displays--including exquisite jewelry, traditional folk instruments, and intricate textiles--captivate and inspire.

• Exciting Exhibitions: We recently launched Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s groundbreaking exhibition, “Filtered Identity.” His striking hyper-realistic paintings blend classical and modern art.

• Expanding Digital Reach: Our online programming is making our remarkable collection accessible to members across the nation and beyond, fostering a greater appreciation for Armenian culture.

• Collaborative Ventures: Selected by Bank of America as one of just 23 cultural institutions globally for its prestigious Art Conservation Project, we have collaborated with conservators from the Matenadaran to restore rare, illuminated manuscripts in our collection including one dating back to the 13th century!

• Growing Membership: Our membership is at an all-time high, but we need your continued support to sustain this momentum. Being part of our Museum comes with exceptional benefits.

We invite you to renew today. Your membership directly supports our mission to share the rich history and culture of Armenia with the world. Join us in this vital work and be a part of our community’s success story.

Catholicos Aram I Visits the Museum

There was a buzz in the Museum as we welcomed Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia back to our galleries on Oct. 11 to tour our galleries and meet our leadership and staff. His Holiness was warmly greeted by Museum President Michele Kolligian, Vice President Robert Khederian, and Trustees Byron Hartunian and Mark Kolligian.

His Holiness was accompanied by Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian of the Eastern Prelacy, Archbishop Kegham Kacherian of the Western Prelacy, and several esteemed clergy and leaders of the church including Very Rev. Fr. Hrant Tahanian of St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church of Watertown.

They toured the galleries and stopped at several items of interest including the NFL Artsakh Cleats that were donated to the Museum by Michele Kolligian and Robert Khederian to raise awareness about the ethnic cleansing and cultural erasure of Armenians from Artsakh since the war.

On Oct. 13, Catholicos Aram I used the arm reliquary from our collection in the Divine Liturgy at St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown. It is the first time this sacred 18th-19th object was used in an official church service since it was rescued from looting or certain destruction in the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Aghavny Demirjian bequeathed this important work of art and Christian heritage to the Museum in 2008, so it can be shared with the public as a testament to Armenia’s faith and survival.

Duo Recital with Haig Hovsepian & Matias Cuevas

Live music returned to our contemporary galleries on Oct. 3 with a recital by Haig Hovsepian (violin) and Matias Cuevas (piano), sponsored by the Dadourian Foundation.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome you all tonight as we are dedicated to preserving and celebrating Armenian culture. I’m thrilled to have you join us for this special event where art and music collide,” stated Development Director Sarah Hayes, who went on to highlight the current exhibition of hyper-realistic paintings by Tigran Tsitoghdzyan.

The following works were performed: Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22 (Clara Schumann), Adagio from the ballet Spartacus (Aram Khachaturian), Much Ado About Nothing Suite for Violin and Piano (Erich Wolfgang Korngold), Rhapsody (Edward Baghdasarian), and Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 13 (Gabriel Fauré).

Photos by Daniel Ayriyan

Hyper-Realistic Paintings Explore Artist’s Innate Quest for Creative Autonomy

The Armenian Museum of America recently announced the opening of its next contemporary art exhibition, Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s “Filtered Identity.” Tigran is a New York-based artist whose oversized photo-realistic paintings merge an interest in classical and modern art with an emphasis on his own experiences as a father and an immigrant. At first look, his artworks appear to be photographs, but the portraits are hyper-realistic oil paintings.

There will be an Opening Reception with the artist on Thursday, September 19 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

“We cannot wait for the community to experience this new exhibit in our contemporary art galleries. You will be amazed to see these giant works. Most people will assume they are photographs and be completely surprised that they are oil paintings!” says Executive Director Jason Sohigian. “Tigran is exhibiting all over the world and it is an honor to share his art in our galleries in Greater Boston. When his studio in Yerevan is open to the public, nearly a thousand people stream in on a single day to view these pieces.”

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s oversized photo-realistic paintings merge an interest in classical and modern art. Image credit: “Self-Isolation IV” (2022), 80" x 80", oil on canvas.

Tigran’s work has been exhibited widely including Art Basel Miami, Cube Art Fair in Times Square, and globally in cities such as Dubai, Singapore, Istanbul, Cannes, Zurich, Monaco, and Brussels.

“These breakout works have catapulted Tsitoghdzyan to A-list status as a portrait and multi-media artist. His high productivity has sustained his success in high-end markets across the globe—from prominent galleries and prestigious art fairs to major foundations, renowned auction houses, biennales, and festivals,” writes Laura L. Constantine in a profile for the AGBU Insider. “While the name Tsitoghdzyan may be impossible for most to pronounce, his works are impossible to ignore, as they bring a new dimension of intensity, intrigue, and insight to contemporary portraiture.”

“Filtered Identity” is curated by Ryann Casey. Ryann is a New Jersey-based artist and educator. She is an adjunct Professor of Photography, Art History and Critical Theory at Stockton University, and her current photographic and curatorial projects focus on themes of loss, trauma, and memory. 

“Filtered Identity” runs from September 19, 2024 to February 23, 2025 in the AMA’s third floor Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries.

For more information, visit www.armenianmuseum.org/tigran.The Armenian Museum of America is located at 65 Main Street, Watertown, MA, and the gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm.

Artscope: Treasures Unveiled in ‘Gandzaran!’ Present Contemporary View of Armenians Today

By Erica DeMatos, Artscope Magazine

The Armenian Museum of America, located in Watertown, not only contextualizes Armenia’s lengthy and turmoiled past, but it also presents a more contemporary view of Armenian people today. Treasures are unveiled in “Gandzaran! Notable Selections from our Collection,” threading generations of people together through modern interpretations of a shared culture. Shadows, carvings, etchings and textiles all permanently engrave the history of a displaced country onto a physical plane, memorializing the lives that were lost to a genocide.

Melkon Hovhannisyan’s impressionistic paintings are earthy and moody, with vibrant colors that bleed into one another and subjects that are almost indistinguishable from their background. “The Walk,” 1995, is a momentary glimpse of two figures, faceless and limbless yet they still feel alive. It seems as though the two people are moving forward despite being pushed back by an imagined wind, making their journey even more difficult. The figure toward the right of the painting almost appears to have a pair of wings, hearkened by the gossamer-thin streak of white just below their head. Maybe it is a guiding angel, encouraging the person in the foreground to continue ahead despite their troubles.

“Untitled,” c. 1996, is a darker, more morose image from Hovhannisyan than its angelic counterpart, perhaps alluding to a devilish circle of religious practice. The edges of the painting are engulfed in a shadowy blackness that encircles a grouping toward its center where human-like figures are spread around in a symmetrical fashion. The painting is jagged and dangerous, with its almost exclusively vertical nature that feels pointed like a sharp knife. The figures are connected by a draped piece of fabric, but it is unclear if it is a form of protection from the outside world. This image feels more inhuman than “The Walk,” and the two displayed side by side conjure feelings of religious contention but faith in community.

Each person’s story is interwoven yet individual, relying upon a common faith and a shared story. The Armenian Genocide and its effects are well-documented throughout the collection of archives, but it also provides insight into the personal lives of those who survived, and those who survive their families today.