ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Pictured is a rare embroidery made by Araxie Chakarian in 1880 with a portrait of her family in the middle. It is one of many things to be seen at the Lynn Museum’s “Heartstrings” exhibit.
By BILL BROTHERTON
LYNN — With the unrest and anxiety in the world these days, it would be easy to politicize the timely, remarkable new exhibit that opens at the Lynn Museum this morning. It’s equally easy to just enjoy the beauty and craftsmanship of “Heartstrings: Embracing Armenian Needlelace, Embroidery and Rugs.”
The exhibit features intricate needlework inspired by the stories of Armenian-Americans who have persevered through challenging times, including the murder of more than 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915. Featured are items from the personal collections of several leaders in the local Armenian-American community including Mary Mooradian of Haverhill, Raffi Manjikian of Belmont and Marie Bazarian of Watertown.
Kate Luchini, who served as executive director of the museum from 2010-14, is curator of the exhibit.
“Mary (Mooradian) collected objects and wrote personal stories to go with each,” said Luchini. “Members of the Armenian-American community saved some of the needle work and lace embroidery of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers. These creations were either brought with them when they emigrated to America in the early 1900s or were created once they resettled in the United States.
“Families and groups can relate to it in their own way. It’s a special exhibit.”
Drew Russo, executive director of the museum, said there’s a large Armenian-American presence on the North Shore, especially in Peabody. “Mary and members of her church community are the main architects of the exhibit. The works are beautiful. The personal stories are fascinating. People came to this country for a better life after the atrocities at home.”
In 1915, leaders of the Turkish government set in motion a plan to expel and massacre Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. By the early 1920s, when the massacres and deportations finally ended, some 1.5 million of Turkey’s Armenians were dead, with many more forcibly removed from the country. Today, most historians call this event a genocide — a premeditated and systematic campaign to exterminate an entire people. Properties, churches and schools were confiscated; and many beautiful works of art were destroyed and lost forever.
“Heartstrings: Embracing Armenian Needlelace, Embroidery and Rugs” opens today, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. “Heartstrings” will be on display through June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, at the Lynn Museum, 590 Washington St. For more information on this and other Lynn Museum events, call 781-581-6200 or visit www.lynnmuseum.org.
