Hrair Sarkissian has turned his attention to a controversial topic in Turkey: a deadly, concerted wave of violence targeting Armenians in 1915 and their forced conversion to Islam. In recent years, some have reconverted to Christianity and asked to change their names, out of love, vengeance, or in an attempt to separate themselves from this tragic story. Nearly 100 years after the events, and despite pressure from Europe, in Turkey it remains illegal to speak of genocide, and discrimination is rampant. Although a few brave activists are claiming their Armenian heritage, most conceal their identity for fear of retaliation, and as a defense against a largely nationalist state.
Unexposed addresses this tension between the need to reconnect with the past and the danger of exposure. The subjects are shrouded in darkness, a reflection of their inner lives, their postures casting expressive silhouettes. Only their wrinkled hands are visible. A man stands in an entryway, firmly clutching the handle of a door that opens onto an environment as somber as his past. Doors are a recurring element in the series, a symbol of the conflict between private and public space, inner and outer lives, and the need to have both integrity and anonymity. We look for the smallest signs of intimacy, but the photographs are overwhelming neutral: the interior spaces are spare, the tables covered in plain cloths, the hallways bare. Only once do we see an unidentifiable portrait sitting on top a television. These are the signs of a move towards a new life in Istanbul, far from their roots and the dangers of claiming them.
Laurence Cornet
Read the full article on the French version of Le Journal.
EXHIBITION
“Ici, ailleurs”
January 12 – March 31, 2013
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