The Hye-Phen

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La Juventud Que No Pudieron Desaparecer (The Youth That Couldn’t Be Disappeared)

by | Aug 22, 2020 | Photography

Non-binary conceptual artist, activist, and member of the Armenies Queer in Argentina, a group dedicate to LGBTIQ+ activism within the armenian community in Latin America. As an artist Nur Magakian connects arts and politics using different resources like video and photography. Their field of study is cinema, digital communication and conceptual design.
Introduction by Artist This project began as an anthropology thesis of a friend of mine about the Armenian youth in Cordoba, Argentina. During the process we decided to photograph them. They go to University, play music in rock bands, and work as any other worker in Argentina. They are friends, family, and part of the new generation of activists in our community. In Argentina, Armenians arrived before 1915 and after 1923 (my family after Adana genocide). In the 70’s the military dictatorship in Argentina and Uruguay disappeared 22 Armenians. Some of them were youth activists, communists, and Marxists; but also workers, teachers, artists, and common people against the military regime. They were born in Argentina, and were the first or second generation. 30,400 people disappeared in Argentina between 1978-1983, we recognized the dictatorship as a genocide. For that reason the photo project is called: The Youth That Couldn’t be Disappeared. By understanding ethnographic photography, La Juventud que no Pudieron Desaparecer captures the essence of young people from the Armenian Community who were born in Argentina, specifically in the City of Cordoba. The photographs show scenes of intimacy within cultural gatherings such as family events and music rehearsals, paired with relevant quotes from the subjects. The purpose of this set of photographs is to show how armenianness, new views of the world, and reinterpretations of identity come together. La Juventud que no Pudieron Desaparecer was exhibited in the Museum of Anthropology of the city of Cordoba in 2017 and awarded in Human Rights in 2018. – Nur Magakian
A person, viewed from the chest up, wearing a pink jacket with long black braided hair and markings on their face to look like tattoos. “A mi abuelo lo tatuaron en Jerusalén a los 16 años antes de venir acá.” “My grandfather was tattooed in Jerusalem at the age of 16 before coming here.” (Tatiana Ozsemerci, June 2017) A person in a black and white top, with long black braided hair and markings on their face to look like tattoos.Two people sitting on the floor with text painted on the wall behind them which reads, in Spanish, 'las nuevas generaciones tambien tienen memoria,' or 'the new generations also have memory'A person in restaurant kitchen wearing a black shirt and headband with a scale, a hookah, and a plate of baklava in front of them. “Todos los días soy argentina y armenia.” “I am Armenian and Argentine every day.” (Silva Arslanian, June 2017)Five people working in a restaurant kitchen. In the foreground is a plate of dolma. “Activism is one of the most important activities within the Armenian community because it is not enough for me to eat Armenian food, it is not enough for me to listen to Armenian music or play soccer with a team. I need something else, I need to give something to Armenia and also give something to the society in which I live. ” (Beatriz Arslanian, April 2016).A person in a white shirt standing with their fist up in front of a projector screen, on which there is written, 'rights not flowersA person in a grey shirt playing a hand drum. “Cuando voy a los ensayos de Kusan ahí entró en posición y también cuando escucho esos temas del ´77… después cuando me subo al auto escucho Spinetta.” “When I go to the Kusan musical rehearsals, I get into position and also when I listen to those songs from ’77… then when I get in the car I listen to Spinetta.” (Ignacio Analian, June 2017)A person with long hair in a red shirt standing in front of a projector screen, which reads, in Spanish, 'Los amigos del barrio pueden desaparecer,' or 'the neighborhood friends may also disappear'A person with short hair in a grey shirt standing in front of a projector screen displaying the Artsakh flag and a landscape
Nur Magakian
Non-binary conceptual artist, activist, and member of the Armenies Queer in Argentina, a group dedicate to LGBTIQ+ activism within the armenian community in Latin America. As an artist Nur Magakian connects arts and politics using different resources like video and photography. Their field of study is cinema, digital communication and conceptual design.