"How We Live" Is in Sebastião Salgado Tradition of Documentary Photography

Reviewed by Nairi Varteressian

In the context of the "How We Live" exhibition, Sara Anjargolian's photographs demonstrate the validity of the old axiom "a picture is worth a thousand words"—particularly thanks to the sheer audacity of the show's curator and designer, Narineh Mirzaeian. An architect by training who works as a project manager with Frank Gehry, Mizraeian insisted that the images be blown up and printed on large hanging fabrics, and lighted in such a way that the viewer cannot disengage from the striking imagery, but connects with the larger-than-life people in Anjargolian's narrative. The double-sided "posters" are made of fabric that hang from black ropes attached to the warehouse beams. Viewers walk in circles and feel as if they are entering the living rooms of the poor, rather than remaining detached by staring at two-dimensional photographs on a gallery wall.

"How We Live" Exhibit Uses Innovative DesignA photographer and attorney, Anjargolian was commissioned by the Tufenkian Foundation to capture the daily struggles of Armenians. Over 40 large prints of her work were displayed during the "How We Live" exhibit opening/fundraiser that took place on March 26th and 27th at Casitas Studios in Atwater Village. The exhibit included nine families living in extreme poverty in the villages of Geghard, Getap, Nubarashen, Arinch, Vanadzor, the outskirts of Etchmiadzin and even the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. A short documentary showed Anjarolian interviewing some of her subjects in Armenian, with English subtitles. Visit howwelive.org.

Andre AgassiAndre Agassi is an Armenian-American professional tennis player who has achieved a number one ranking on the ATP tour. Agassi has won eight Grand Slam single titles: Wimbledon in 1992, US Open in 1994 and 1999, Australian Open in 1995, 2000, 2001, and 2003, and French Open in 1999. He is one of only five male players to have won all the Grand Slam tournaments in a career and also won the Olympic Gold Medal in singles in 1996.
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