Armenian Museum of America Inaugurates New Gallery with Reception

The building was thought of as “dark and very ugly,” Munson said, and because it had not been renovated for a very long time, “kind of sleepy.” Consultant Durruty was particularly interested in ways of adapting brutalism, and so a new approach was taken to open up the building. As Munson put it, “you experience from the outside the inside, and from the inside the outside.” In other words, it became more accessible. Interior walls blocking windows were replaced by self-standing walls and the dark film on the windows was replaced with light and clear film with an ultraviolet filter. A glowing light panel was set on a timer for 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Munson thought that scenes from Sergei Parajanov film, “The Color of Pomegranates,” set amidst the ruins of Armenian architecture, offered a model, she said, to “use the existing architecture with its full open pattern almost as a metaphor for Armenian church architecture and for Armenian history…and animate it with the objects inside.”

The newly renovated gallery starts near the museum entrance with the Gfoeller quote mentioned above. A map places Armenia in the world today for visitors. A major decision was made to not try to tell the whole history of Armenia. Instead, Munson said, she would “try to introduce the important themes of Armenian culture through the objects in our collection.” Instead of replicating the most important pieces of Armenian art, she would use collection items that represent the important themes. She determined that these included antiquity, the language and the invention of an alphabet, the early adoption of Christianity, the textile tradition, Kütahya ceramics, metal work, Armenian international trade, genocide, and the continuum (post-Genocide Armenian life).

The device used to present these themes was a series of floating platforms. Table cases on the platforms reference the black color of obsidian in Armenia. Munson said that she and Durruty worked to integrate architecture and graphics with the objects, just as she used to do at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Each item was given its own custom mount and desiccants were placed underneath in the cases for preservation purposes, unlike earlier iterations of the museum displays.

The highlights of the museum collection include Armenian manuscripts, specialized collections of textiles and over 200 rugs, coins, Kütahya ceramics, reliquaries, a deep collection of metalwork and various personal objects of witness of Armenian survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

One example of an object of witness is a chalk mold. It is displayed separately as a symbol of survival and remembrance, Munson said. It turned powdered limestone into sticks of chalk and was owned by Krikor Ouzoumian. His life was spared during the 19^th century Hamidian massacres when he offered to make chalk for the troops. He expanded his factory, creating a secret room with supplies where his family survived 1915.

Though ultimately he died, his wife leveraged the chalk production to exempt the family from deportation, and when they later came to the US, they only brought this single object with them. It was separated, with one half held by a brother and the other by a sister, but rejoined when donated.

Many items have been taken out of storage and displayed for the first time in the new installation. Furthermore, a family history case has been set up whose contents will be rotated every few months to highlight new items. At present, it showcases a white Greek orphanage dress there which belonged to Araxie Krikorian, with a photo of her wearing the dress while in the orphanage (though dated to 1915, the orphanage was only set up in 1923).

Establishing the aesthetic and logic, or, as Munson said, “this way of talking about things,” has been the first major step in changing the museum. A model of the museum has been created for planning. It comes apart like a dollhouse, to allow thinking to be holistic.

Among what is coming in the future, aside from building repairs and further redesigned areas, including an articulate section on the Armenian Genocide upstairs, are audio guides and interactive displays. A khachkar or cross stone will be on display soon. The Smithsonian had commissioned a new one for its Folklife Festival this year which it sold at a very reasonable cost to the Armenian Museum. The museum will have a more visible external presence too, with the Watertown Planning Board having agreed to allow banners to be placed on the poles outside.

Grants are being sought for expanding in-depth research on the museum holdings and increasing the range of educational and artistic activities.