L.A. Weekly
With “three skeletons of novels” in his head, nearly a decade ago Ara Oshagan, a geophysicist by day, began writing about the Armenians of L.A. and the Armenian genocide. Oshagan needed images to go with his words, but when friends’ pictures left something to be desired, he started taking pictures. “It took quite a few years for me to convince myself that the important thing is not the medium you use but what you have to say. At that point, writing took a back seat and photography became my main endeavor. Most of my topics are Armenian-related because I feel one can only say something in-depth about what one knows best. In a mirror you really only see yourself.” An exhibition of Oshagan’s work, “Traces of Identity: An Insider’s View of the L.A. Armenian Community, 2000–2004,” runs through December 31 at Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., East Hollywood, (323) 644-6269.
-Jordan Elgrably
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A Christening,
East Hollywood
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Prison Inmates, Blythe
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St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, Pasadena
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