on MIRROR IN THE WELL

---------->------------listen to the latest interview--------------------------->----->------------------with micheline aharonian marcom---------->-->------------>---on KCRW's Bookworm-------------->----------->-------------hosted by michael silverblatt---------------------------------------->->->>----on her newest novel the mirror in the well------------------------>-->----------->>--------->------------------------>>>--->------->---------------->->->----------->------------------------>>------------------>

invite melineh kurdian to the yerevan music fest

I met Melineh Kurdian in the summer of 2006, when she was performing at the National Women's Music Fest -- that year it was held at my university -- Illinois State. Since then Melineh appears once in a while at our local gay bar in Bloomington, IL, the Bistro, with Girl Parts -- where I incessantly torment her about coming to Yerevan for a concert. Check out Melineh's music as well as listen to Girl Parts -- they are amazing in concerts and if you want to hear them live -- you've gotta bug them to come to Yerevan ----->------------->>------------------------->-->->-------------->>>->-------------------------------->---------->---------------->>------------->---------------------->------------>------------------->----------------------------->>--------------> ------------------>>>>>>>>>---------------------->
GIRL PARTS = 3 nationally-touring singer/songwriters who come together for a few tours a year. Called One of the Best NYC Shows of 2005 by RadioCrystalBlue, Girl Parts puts on a charming, high-energy acoustic folk and pop rock show. Mid-20's yet seasoned performers, the three have released 10 albums between them, including 2 Girl Parts EPs. Part sugar, part spice, full of harmonies, guitar, piano, banjo and bass, these women form quite an amazing trio.

LIZ CLARK, is a New York City based singer-songwriter that has garnered wide acclaim in the US, UK and Ireland including airplay on Sirius Satellite Radio and the BBC. The video for her single, "Who's Your Angel," went to #3 on MTV's Logo Network. Liz has shared the stage with numerous well-known musicians including Joe Walsh, Ritchie Havens, Linda Perry, Bob Schneider, and The Counting Crows.

JULIE LOYD, originally a dancer and child of musical theater, comes across best on stage. Called "an acoustic spitfire...with a kick-ass stage presence" by Curve Magazine, this wiggly acoustic sparkplug plays 170+ shows a year wailing away on her guitar, wearing another hole in the finish, weaving tunes with a set of gutsy vocals and stomping out her rhythm.

MELINEH KURDIAN's debut album, "From Where You Are," is a ten-song testament to love, perseverance, desire and redemption. The New York Times calls her music "soulful and amusing," and it is just that. Melineh's well-crafted melodies support every honest word she sings. Her easy stage presence makes audiences laugh along with her stories and be moved by her intimate lyrics and sweet, strong voice.

http://www.lizclarkmusic.com/
http://www.julieloyd.com/
http://www.melinehkurdian.com/

հանելուկ / a riddle

- այն ինչ ֆալոսաձև մրցանակ է, որ երևանի լրագրողներին են նվիրում քաղաքական կանանց մասին սենսացիոն ու անորակ հոդվածներ գրելու համար;

- այն որ լրագրողն է, որ զգայացունց ու շշմեցուցիչ դեպքերի (անիրական) նկարագրության համար ստանում է երրորդ տեղն ու հետո բողոքում որ ինքն առաջին տեղի լրագրող է;

- այն որ կազմակերպությունն է, որ պարգևատրում ու խրախուսում է կարծրատիպային, սենսացիոն ու անիրական լրագրային տխմարությունները:

***

- what is that phallic-shaped prize that is bestowed upon journalists in yerevan for writing sensational and incompetent articles about political women;

- who is the journalist who gets third place for writing (unrealistically) about titillating and thrilling events and then complains that he should have gotten the first place;

- which organization is it that rewards and supports stereotypical, sensational and unrealistic journalistic imbecilities.

Melissa Boyajian's work at the Boston Center for the Arts

Melissa Boyajian, who was part of our Exhibition Coming To You To Not Be With You but who was unfortunately unable to join us in Yerevan will be showing her brilliant work in a group MFA Thesis Exhibition entitled This Is Not Happening:

March 6–April 26, 2009

The exhibition will be held at The Mills Gallery at The Boston Center for the Arts; 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116.

Exhibition Hours: Wednesday, 12-5PM; Thursday—Saturday, 12-9PM and Sunday, 12-5 PM.

Opening Reception: Friday, March 6, 6:00pm

Family Day: Saturday, April 4, 12:30pm

Artists' Talks: April 1 at 6:30pm (Krista Caballero, Melissa Boyajian, Jesse Jagtiani); April 22, 6:30pm (Melinda Go, Alexia Mellor)

This exhibition is the second of an ongoing series of MFA thesis exhibitions shown annually as part of the joint graduate degree program of Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Participating artists: Melissa Boyajian, Krista Caballero, Melinda Go, Jesse Jagtiani, Alexia Mellor.

Also check out Boyajian's work at the Bryant Richards Gallery based in the greater Boston area.

---
Photo © Melissa Boyajian. Ghost Door.

Call for musicians: International Women's Sound

An Invitation to a Women's Music Festival in Yerevan, Armenia

Dear folks,

Utopiana and our soundlaboratory invite all-female music bands and individual musicians to take part in a music project called International Women’s Sound which includes a music festival, music workshops and seminars.

We are seeking artists who produce and perform primarily in the following contemporary genres: alternative, experimental, avant-garde, sound performance, rock, and punk, as well as contemporary classical music.

Preference will be given to female musicians who are not currently recognized in their communities due to their gender and genre of music. Our aim is to promote and support the work of artists (either bands or solo musicians) in contemporary music who have not had a great deal of exposure in their countries.

Application Deadline: April 1 , 2009

Project Dates: September 18 - 25, 2009
Festival Dates: September 20 - 21, 2009

Please submit completed application forms to the attention of Tsomak (Armine Oganezova) at ts_oga@utopiana.am, and contact us if you have any questions:

tel. +374 93 391712
fax. +374 10565026
mob. +374 93 391712

----------------------------------------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

Title: International Women’s Sound
Duration Of The Project: September 18 – 25, 2009
Project Director: Tsomak (Armine Oganezova), Artist, Musician, and Activist

.

Project Features:

Sound Workshops
During workshops participants will learn how to use different music computer programs to create music. Participants can offer their own suggestions how to conduct the workshop.
Bands can also organize their own workshops.

Seminars
These meetings are formally called seminars, but they are going to be debates and discussions about music and our creative processes.

Music Festival
The festival will include girl bands and independent musicians from different parts of the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Palestine, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and countries of Africa. The festival aims to show how radical are the ideas that we have inside of ourselves.

Project Goals:

To break the wall of silence instituted by patriarchies, and to deconstruct the stereotypes and traditional roles of womenfolk;
To inspire women to stand up and fight for their rights and freedom;
To create knowledge and exchange experience through workshops and seminars;
To imagine women as strong and creative members of society;
To introduce and disseminate radical ideas in the Caucasus.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Application Form

PERSONAL INFORMATION
International Women's Sound

First Name:
Last Name:
Passport Serial number:

Address:
Country:
Telephone:
Email:
URL:

BAND/MUSICIAN INFORMATION

Band Name:
How Many Members:
Genre:

Please mention the URL where we can access your music or email samples to ts_oga@utopiana.am.

Or mail a CD/DVD to the following address:
UTOPIANA
Zarubyan 34, 0009
Yerevan, ARMENIA

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are planning to send a CD/DVD by regular mail, please email your application form separately to the email address provided above, and include only your name (or band name) in the CD/DVD package.

---

Photo © Sidney Robertson Cowell Collection, Library of Congress. Mary Goshtigian playing the oud (1939).

Nancy Agabian in Normal, Illinois

There is such a place in Illinois called "Normal" and people who live in Normal are warm welcoming people who love our favorite "enfant terrible" who will read to them from their favorite little book called MEASHERAGAIN on the following days:

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
12 - 1 pm
International Seminar Series
Illinois State University
Bone Student Center’s East Lounge, 3rd Floor
Normal, IL

For more info: http://www.internationalstudies.ilstu.edu/events/

“Me As Her Again: Creative Nonfiction on Feminist Armenian Identities and Genocide”
Nancy Agabian will discuss her work as a creative nonfiction writer to explore issues of Armenian identity. In particular, she will describe her recent process of writing “Me as her again: True Stories of an Armenian Daughter,” a memoir of her search for self, which involved researching and imagining her grandmother’s survival of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The book also braids together the various feminist identities of her family, including her sister, aunts, mother and self; their stories provided a base on which Agabian was able to weave her own story, and thus her identity as a queer, feminist artist.

The Seminar Series is organized by the Unit for International Linkages, Office of International Studies and Programs, and the Women’s Studies Program. Free and open to the public.

###

Friday, February 13, 2009
7 pm
reading at
Borders Books
200A N. Greenbriar Dr.
Bloomington, IL
309.888.4246.
Contact: schance@bordersstores.com
Free and open to the public

-<-------<<-<-----------Speak out!----------------------Speak out!-------------Speak out!----------------<<--------------<--------<--------------------<<----------------Speak out! ---------------------------------Speak out!-----------------<<<----------------<-<-<--------------------------Speak out!----------<-----------<-------------------<-<---------------<-----Speak out!---------

.

Please join us! Bring your lovers, friends and partners!

eeeeeh! inch assem...

ԿԱՐԵՆ ԱՎԱԳՅԱՆԻ hartsazruytsits:

«Երբեք չէի ամուսնանա մի կնոջ հետ, ով մինչ ամուսնությունը սեռական հարաբերություն է ունեցել այլ տղամարդու հետ»

"Ստրիպ ակումբ Հայաստանում չեմ այցելում, հիմնականում արտասահմանյան այցելությունների ժամանակ եմ նման ակումբներում լինում եւ ամենեւին էլ ինձ կաշկանդված չեմ զգում, ինչ բոլորն են անում, այն էլ ես՝ «գնահատում» եմ ինչպես պարուհիներին, այնպես էլ միջավայրը"


"Սեռական փոքրամասնությունների գոյությունը իրոք մեր հասարակության կողմից չի ընկալվում, չնայած նույն հասարակության մեջ կան այդպիսի մարդիկ: Մեր երկիրը ինչ փաստաթուղթ էլ ստորագրի, ինչ միջոցառումներ էլ անցկացվեն, միեւնույն է, հասարակական ընկալում չի ձեւավորվում եւ փառք Աստծո, որ չի ձեւավորվում: Այս պահպանողականությունը մեզ շատ է պետք: Միգուցե ես էլ եմ նման մարդկանց հետ շփվում ու չգիտեմ, որ նրանք այդ մարդիկ են, բայց եթե այդ մասին իմանամ՝ այլեւս նրանց հետ չեմ շփվի:"

U ayspes aveli apushutyunner... kardatseq u zarqatseq:

http://new.aravot.am/am/articles/culture/54801/view

Naev hetaqrqir "gender statistics" : http://new.aravot.am/am/articles/education/55305/view

February should be OUR month

Today -- we emailed the Open Letter to the Ombudsman of RA.

http://www.ombuds.am/

p.s. Thanks to everyone for supporting our cause!!