Gorky witnessed “death march”
The Armenian Genocide greatly affected the life and activity of American Armenian painter Arshile Gorky. Gorky was born in the village of Khorgom, situated on the shores of Lake Van
Gorky fled Van in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide and escaped with his mother into Russian-controlled territory. In the aftermath of the genocide, Gorky's mother died of starvation in Yerevan.
The Cafesjyan Center for the Arts hosts an event dedicated to the renowned painter on April 20-21.
The event entitled "Silent Victims. Arshile Gorky", will be opened by Shahen Khachatryan, Director of Arshile Gorky Museum in Etchmiadzin. He will deliver a lecture on Gorky's life and art, sharing the artist's memories of the Genocide.
The second part of the event will start with by documentary film viewing by the Armenian film-producer Karen Adamyan.
Many of his paintings portrayed the suffering and loss of the period. In the letters sent to his sister, Gorky often referred to the Genocide as "the death march of our relatives and dearest friends", bitterly recalling the circumstances of his mother's death.
