BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
VENICE, Calif.—Images of every day life and every day people of Armenia adorn the gallery walls of award-winning photographer Peter Carapetian’s Tripod Studios just a few blocks from the famed Venice Boardwalk.
They are part of an exhibition of photographs, “Armenia Observed,” which opened on February 26 and will run through April.
The exhibition breathes life into a different aspect of Armenia, rarely seen in photography exhibits. Its restrained, yet vibrant depiction of the crux of life in Armenia brings a first-hand glimpse of the rural, rather than the urban realities we are used to seeing of late.
Carapetian says that he was interested in capturing the people and places that are often go unnoticed, away from what can be perceived as contradictory in a city-setting like Yerevan.
Carapetian’s observation of Armenia is distinctly human and poignantly spontaneous. His background as a portrait artist and documentarian allow him to weave a tapestry from the various images, each of which telling a unique and vivid vignette from daily life. As a collection, the photographs, which are printed on canvas, reflect the character of an entire nation, imparting a marked serenity and calm.
Carapetian first went to Armenia in the early 1990’s through a grant from the Hovnanian Foundation with the aim of producing a photographic essay of Post Soviet Armenia and the lifestyle of the people as they emerged from behind the iron curtain. Through subsequent visits there, Carapetian has been able to chronicle the progression and evolution of life in Armenia.
Carapetian is an award-winning international photographer renowned for his work in the fields of fashion, portraiture, and social documentary. As a fashion photographer, he has collaborated with Condé Nast Publications. His photographs have been featured in British Vogue, Bride’s Magazine, and other leading European magazines and newspapers. Peter is also an accomplished social documentarian with sponsorships from the Venice, Italy based Zenobio Institute, the government of India, and David Paradine Productions. His work for AP International, UPI, and the BBC has taken him around the globe. His travel and documentary photography is featured in several critically-acclaimed books, including “Crossroads of Civilization,” “Earth Works,” and “The Costumes of Armenian Women.”
Peter received his training at Regent Street Polytechnic School of Photography and St. Martin’s School of Art. He was a founding member of the groundbreaking UK-based artist’s agency Artist Partners and has taught at the school of Fine Art Middlesex University, London. He has had solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, and London, including a show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. His work has appeared in many publications including British Vogue and Stern, and on the BBC. Peter has had solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, and London. Presently, Peter is the creative director and lead photographer at Tripod Studios in Venice, California.
“Armenia Observed” can be seen by appointment only at Tripod Studios in Venice, 608 Main Street. For show times and appointments call Steve Demer at 310-795-9613.
Interesting article. I would like to see the photographs about Armenian Women’s Costumes. How can I…?