On the 15th anniversary of Hrant Dink’s assassination, 23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory opened the exhibition on his life and struggle ‘Hrant Dink: Here and Now’ in Yerevan. The exhibition presented a selection of the 23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory in Istanbul and offered visitors in Yerevan the opportunity to better understand Hrant Dink's dreams, language and his struggle for values such as dialogue and coexistence. Just as at the 23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory in Istanbul, so too in Yerevan Hrant Dink was the narrator and the guide telling his own story and his path of righteousness. Separate corners of the exhibition focused on themes such as memory, justice and minority rights in Turkey.
The ‘Hrant Dink: Here and Now’ exhibition welcomed visitors between May 7-September 11, 2022 at the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art (NPAK). In addition to perusing the exhibition and witnessing Hrant Dink's struggle though his own voice, the visitors in Yerevan were able to interact with visitors at the 23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory in Istanbul through the digital bridge built between the two sites, were able to record their personal stories and hear those recorded at the site in Istanbul, and search the archive of the Agos Newspaper dating from 1996 to 2007.
During the exhibition’s timeframe, various side events were held, each one focusing on a different theme prevalent at the exhibition. After the opening event on May 6, 2022, where almost 300 guests were invited, on July 14 a tour and reception was held for artists attending the Golden Apricot Film Festival. The talk “A Dialogue Between Art and Memory”, addressing the question of how art and culture, artists and cultural actors can contribute to the practices of dealing with traumatic histories and difficult pasts while acting as bridges between people took place on July 29. The gala event of the exhibition was "A discussion with Justice Albie Sachs: Harnessing the power of soft vengeance" that took place on September 3. During the event Lara Setrakian and Albie Sachs explored the concept of soft-vengeance, addressed the struggle for freedom, the role that sites of memory play on dealing with the past and on fostering coexistence, the significance of having a democratic constitution that upholds equality and freedoms while also talking about harnessing past experiences as a tool to generate action.
Together with the various side events, in total approximately 1500 local and international guests visited the exhibition during the four and a half months it was open in Yerevan for its first international stop. The exhibition will continue to tour internationally.
The ‘Hrant Dink: Here and Now’ exhibition welcomed visitors between May 7-September 11, 2022 at the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art (NPAK). In addition to perusing the exhibition and witnessing Hrant Dink's struggle though his own voice, the visitors in Yerevan were able to interact with visitors at the 23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory in Istanbul through the digital bridge built between the two sites, were able to record their personal stories and hear those recorded at the site in Istanbul, and search the archive of the Agos Newspaper dating from 1996 to 2007.
During the exhibition’s timeframe, various side events were held, each one focusing on a different theme prevalent at the exhibition. After the opening event on May 6, 2022, where almost 300 guests were invited, on July 14 a tour and reception was held for artists attending the Golden Apricot Film Festival. The talk “A Dialogue Between Art and Memory”, addressing the question of how art and culture, artists and cultural actors can contribute to the practices of dealing with traumatic histories and difficult pasts while acting as bridges between people took place on July 29. The gala event of the exhibition was "A discussion with Justice Albie Sachs: Harnessing the power of soft vengeance" that took place on September 3. During the event Lara Setrakian and Albie Sachs explored the concept of soft-vengeance, addressed the struggle for freedom, the role that sites of memory play on dealing with the past and on fostering coexistence, the significance of having a democratic constitution that upholds equality and freedoms while also talking about harnessing past experiences as a tool to generate action.
Together with the various side events, in total approximately 1500 local and international guests visited the exhibition during the four and a half months it was open in Yerevan for its first international stop. The exhibition will continue to tour internationally.
The ‘Hrant Dink: Here and Now’ exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of the Chrest Foundation and Olof Palme International Center.
