Stories
Creatively focused and noteworthy
Photo credit: Norayr Kasper, "I Will Talk to You About Time." Fotoistanbul 2015.Join our community and receive regular updates!
Join now!
A sanctuary of ancient knowledge, the Matenadaran thrives in the digital age
Priceless manuscripts have survived a long and precarious journey to bear witness to Armenia’s rich cultural legacy. Now digitalization and new exhibition halls at the Matenadaran ensure that the “birth certificates” of our nation defy time and space.
Navasard: Our old New Year made new
Did you know that Navasard is one of the top growing queries on Google that lead to h-pem? While you may be surprised to hear our “11 facts” plays a key role in demystifying one of the most obscure pre-Christian festivals, be sure to read our exclusive piece by Hratch Demiurge on the ancient Armenian New Year—his “funny” take comes with a crescendo of poetic delights!
Hratch Demiurge, comedian, poet, teacher and translator of Daniel Varoujan's Pagan Songs has generously granted h-pem the right to publish his English translation of Navasardian aghotk ar ditsouhin Anahit (“Նաւասարդեան աղօթք առ Դիցուհին Ահահիտ” | “Navasardian Prayer to the Goddess Anahit”)—Siamanto’s soulful prayer to the “golden-footed” deity who presided over the annual festivities of the month Navasard. You can find it at the end of the article below.
How Ivan Aivazovsky, a master of marine art, cherished his Armenian heritage
Ivan Aivazovsky, the legendary Russian-Armenian painter of seascapes who lived an eventful life filled with travels, honors, exciting encounters, and long-lasting friendships, enjoyed world-wide recognition during his lifetime and led a prolific creative life, never forgetting his Armenian roots.
Martiros Sarian: 'The Matisse of the East,' in pure colors
One of the smallest, yet most valuable house-museums in Yerevan is dedicated to Martiros Sarian, the founder of the national school of modern Armenian painting. A visit to the museum in the center of the city reveals the rich legacy of one of the greatest painters of the 20th century, whose paintings are characterized by simplicity and ubiquitous light.
'The Armenian Genocide. Prelude and Aftermath': Deeper than any dive into America’s haunting archives
It took over hundred years for the United States to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. But the evidence was always there, covered extensively by the American press, in words and pictures. While there have been several attempts to collect the reports scattered across different newspapers, a recent sequentially arranged and meticulously indexed multi-volume compilation stands out as the weightiest. At an impromptu meeting with h-pem in Venice, Rev. Vahan Ohanian, co-editor of the publication, gives exclusive insights into the gigantic project that goes beyond the traditional scope of presenting the Armenian Question.