Literary critic Karen Jallatyan delivered an engaging lecture on “Armenian Diaspora Photography” in Montreal. He had been invited by the Hamazkayin Regional Executive Board to participate in the Levon Shant Armenian Studies Course focused on the theater of Vahe Oshagan.
A native of Gyumri, Jallatyan grew up in the United States. In 2019 he defended a doctoral dissertation at the University of California, Irvine, theorizing the Armenian diaspora and focusing on the films of Karine Torosyan and the literary works of Krikor Beledian and Vahe Oshagan. He lives in Budapest and teaches diaspora topics in the newly formed Armenian Studies department of Pázmány Péter Catholic University. He is a member of the editorial board of Pakin.
The lecture, organized by the Literary Committee of the Hamazkayin Quebec Sanahin Chapter, took place in Hall No. 3 of the Armenian Centre on October 24, 2025.
The lecturer addressed the possibilities offered by photography for understanding the processes of the diaspora’s formation and its history. He pointed out the connections between the development of nationalism and photography, mentioned a number of pioneering diaspora photographers, and showed characteristic photographs, both old and new—whether they were works of art or casual pictures—which in every case contribute to the preservation of historical memory.
Photography, the lecturer stated, is a crossroad where cultures meet, a field of interaction between identities and cultures.
He noted that, unfortunately, no scholarly study has yet been conducted in this area, and he emphasized the importance of preserving one’s personal photographic archive and transferring it to a relevant institution so that it is not lost.
Jallatyan is currently conducting some work in this field.
The lecture raised a great deal of interest. Members of the audience lingered at length to converse with the speaker.
V-A. A.
