Armenian and Jewish Artifacts on Display Side-by-Side in Detroit

Jewish works have been exhibited at the Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Tempe and the Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale.

“I moved on to items from religions besides my own because I like learning new things,” says Melikian, whose parents, Greg and Emma Melikian, have been supporters of the arts through board memberships with the Arizona Opera and Phoenix Art Museum.

“When viewers connect with artwork — and there’s great artwork among the religions — they get to understand the spirit of various groups of people.

“I think one of the most impressive historic groupings coming to Michigan from my collection will be Jewish children’s books from around the world. I’ve found that there are more Jewish collectors than Armenian collectors, and they are very connected to their roots.”

Lucy Ardash, director of the Manoogian Museum, also is impressed with the books and looks forward to arranging the entire exhibit as part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the museum.

“Both the Armenian people and Jewish people went through tumultuous events, and now people in Michigan can see some of the antiquities that survived,” Ardash says. “We hope visitors learning about the Melikian holdings will read about them, and we also hope they will walk through the rest of the museum.”

The Manoogian Museum opened in 1992 and is spread out across 12,000 square feet. It was founded by industrialist Alex Manoogian as both an artistic endeavor and an attempt to reconstruct the history of the Armenian people.

The facility showcases 1,500 items divided among eight galleries and includes illuminated manuscripts, early printed books, rugs and carpets, sacred vessels and vestments, textiles and embroidery, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, practical and personal objects, ancient and medieval coins and objects from Urartu, the ancient kingdom that flourished in the Armenian Highlands from the ninth to the early sixth century B.C.E.

This will be the first time that items from the James and Ana Melikian Collection will be featured in Metro Detroit. The couple connected with the museum through Elizabeth Brazilian, a family friend who is active with the Manoogian Museum and was interested in providing something special for the anniversary celebration.

“Although the exhibit coming to Michigan focuses on Armenian and Jewish heritage, I hope people representing all faiths will take a look and find out more about the history of these two cultures,” said Melikian, who visited the Southfield museum in 2007 to gain additional insight into Armenian antiquities.

“I have met many people of different cultures who share my interest in how artifacts give insights into ethnicities, and I have developed a special friendship with Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, formerly of Phoenix and now working in California. Each of my days is enriched by gaining more knowledge about a vast range of history, centuries-old and recent.”

All visits are by appointment with special events and evening tours available. Visit manoogianmuseum.org or at melikiancollection.com

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