An opening reception for “The Past is Present,” a solo exhibition, by Leah Bedrosian Peterson, associate professor of digital media communication, will be held on Thursday, Nov. 20 from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Lycoming College Digital Media Gallery, located on Franklin Street. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on display Nov. 20-Dec. 6. All other viewings are by appointment.
“The Past is Present” is a project that examines the history and legacy of the Armenian Genocide. It is comprised of photography and an animation that were created with the support of a Lycoming College Professional Development Grant. The photographs in “The Past is Present” address the legacy of victimization and symbols that reference cultural identity and heritage.
The animation entitled, “May I Go Blind,” tells the true story of an Armenian Genocide survivor who became an assassin to revenge the death of his family and over a million other Armenians. The Armenian Genocide was carried out from 1915-1918 by the reigning political party in the Ottoman Empire, The Committee of Union and Progress.
“May I Go Blind” was created in collaboration with Christina Moliterno ‘14, animator, and Antonia Crook-Perez, illustrator.
Leah Bedrosian Peterson teaches film, video and contemporary art history courses at Lycoming College. Bedrosian Peterson's work deals with issues of cultural identity and questions the role of fantasy in our daily lives. Her work is exhibited both nationally and internationally, most recently in Triberg, Germany; Geneva, Switzerland; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Medellin, Columbia. She received a Master of Fine Arts from Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute.
For more information, and to view the animation trailer, please visit Leah Bedrosian Peterson's website.