December 2, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Queer Armenian Art Takes Center Stage

For the first time in the city’s history, Glendale is hosting LGBTQ+ pride celebrations for Pride month. Despite the city’s close proximity to Hollywood and growing diversity, Glendale is still rooted in the conservative values of its prominent Armenian community. For this reason, Armenian-owned Abril Bookstore and Roslin Art Gallery joined nonprofit organization Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society (GALAS) to present “The Many Faces of Armenians: A Celebration of Queer-Armenian Art.”

The exhibit opened on June 8 at Roslin Art Gallery in Glendale and celebrates the qualities that mold the queer and Armenian identity from numerous artists who answered the question “What makes you queer?” The art presented in the exhibit represents more than Armenian-LGBTQ+ life, but also highlights notions of being the “other” – the parts of one’s identity that were shamed for being radically different now come to the forefront in an artistic embrace. 

The gallery will also host an array of events with the exhibit for Pride month including film screenings, panel discussions, performances, book readings and more. The events not only are held in celebration of pride but also as an educational opportunity in hopes of bridging the gap between communities and fostering tolerance for all aspects of queer identity. One of the events will include a performance titled “Family Returning Blows” by New York author and performer Nancy Agabian about domestic violence exploring the power dynamics among genders.

Although the Armenian population in Los Angeles has found solace for their intersectional identities through the embrace of the LGBTQ+ community in the city, that embrace still lacks within the cultural community they live in. GALAS board member Lousine Shamamian emphasizes the importance of holding Armenian LGBTQ+ events in Glendale in her interview with the Los Angeles Times, “For GALAS to be celebrating LGBTQ pride in Glendale – the heart of the Armenian diaspora – is a profound marker of the progress the LGBTQ Armenian community has made.”

“The Many Faces of Armenians: A Celebration of Queer-Armenian Art” and other Glendale Pride events will be held through June 28.

Related Posts

Suspect Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Sell Stolen Warhol Artwork in Beverly Hills Auction House

October 1, 2024

October 1, 2024

The Warhol Print Was Originally Sold by a West Hollywood Gallery  Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, is expected...

Santa Monica Artist Dave Quick’s “Return from the Burn” Exhibition to Open at Bergamot’s Lois Lambert Gallery

July 10, 2024

July 10, 2024

Pre-Burning Man Showcase Features Kinetic Art and Sculptures Coated with Playa Dust, Opens July 13 With upwards of 80,000 attendees,...

Film Review: Down Low

July 30, 2023

July 30, 2023

FILM REVIEWDOWN LOWRated R90 MinutesReleased March 11, 2023 By Dolores Quintana “Down Low” is funny. It’s a lean 90 minutes...

Film Review: The People’s Joker

July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

FILM REVIEWThe People’s JokerUnrated92 MinutesReleased September 13, 2022 (Toronto Film Festival) By Dolores Quintana “The People’s Joker” is a heartfelt...

The Problem with Pride Outfits and How You Can Change It

February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023

Since pride month’s official declaration in 1999, we’re reminded every June of how far America has come following New York...

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

By Susan Payne Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

2022 ‘WeHo Reads’ Series Celebrates the ‘Road to Joy’

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to celebrate literature and local authors with its 2022 WeHo Reads literary...

MJ Rodriguez, 1st Openly Transgender Actress to Win Golden Globe

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

Michaela Jae “MJ” Rodriguez has made history by becoming the first openly transgender person to win a Golden Globe.  The...

LACMA Spotlights Queer Black Artists & Subjects

December 7, 2021

December 7, 2021

“The Obama Portraits Tour” and “Black American Portraits” exhibits at LACMA not only celebrate portraiture, but also queer Black artists...

Pride Poets’ Corner: Featuring Corey Saucier & the Dirge for 24 Hour Fitness

December 7, 2021

December 7, 2021

On November 30, 2020, the 24 Hour Fitness location in West Hollywood, which had been in the community for 25...

World’s First LGBTQ Mariachi Band Performs for the Center to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

October 26, 2021

October 26, 2021

Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles—the world’s first LGBTQ mariachi—entertained more than 50 Center clients and staff members with an exuberant...

The Los Angeles LGBT Center & Gochis Galleries Announce Collaboration With Art Division

September 29, 2021

September 29, 2021

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries announced a collaboration with Art Division.  Art Division is a community...

QFilms Long Beach Returns

September 15, 2021

September 15, 2021

QFilms Long Beach, Long Beach’s oldest film festival, returns September 30 – October 3 to celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ...

Lady Gaga Announces New Album Dropping In October

August 15, 2021

August 15, 2021

Oscar and Grammy winner Lady Gaga has announced that she will be dropping a new album set to be released...