{"id":5165,"date":"2024-02-29T20:47:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T20:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/armenian\/?p=5165"},"modified":"2024-07-26T11:43:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T11:43:17","slug":"parajanov-at-one-hundred-an-imaginative-conference-realized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/armenian\/2024\/02\/29\/parajanov-at-one-hundred-an-imaginative-conference-realized\/","title":{"rendered":"Parajanov at 100 – An Imaginative Conference Realized"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Parajanov at 100 – An Imaginative Conference Realized<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n By<\/span>USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies<\/strong>\n \n February 29, 2024<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies and USC Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures co-organized a groundbreaking three-day conference at the USC School of Cinematic Arts about legendary filmmaker and visionary Sergei Parajanov in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday. Titled <\/span>Parajanov at One Hundred: Chimeras of Nation, Form, and Being<\/span><\/i>,<\/span> the centennial conference examined the myriad border crossings and hybridities that characterize Parajanov\u2019s life and oeuvre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Leading scholars from around the world dove deep into Parajanov\u2019s films, art, and legacy, as well as experiences of Soviet-era repression. In addition to several keynote addresses, panels featured themes on \u201cCrossings in Time and Space,\u201d \u201cPresence and Absence,\u201d \u201cSensory Engagement,\u201d \u201cPolitics and Violence,\u201d and \u201cPerformance and Performativity.\u201d Discussions ranged from the very practical concerns related to the restoration and preservation of his work to nuanced and thorough examinations of his films and art from various disciplines and perspectives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is no coincidence that this first-of-its-kind conference took place at USC, which houses arguably the best film school in the country, an Institute of Armenian Studies that has a unique contemporary temporal focus, and a Slavic Languages and Literatures Department, which features phenomenal scholars on the Soviet and post- Soviet experience. We\u2019re excited that we were able to deliver an engaging conference that brought so many layers of our community together,\u201d stated Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stretching the boundaries of the traditional academic conference, <\/span>Parajanov at One Hundred: Chimeras of Nation, Form, and Being <\/span><\/i>included a hat-making workshop for panelists, deep dialogue about contemporary research on the filmmaker and his films, an exhibit of rare photos of Parajanov from the Parajanov Museum in Armenia, and standing-room-only film screenings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOver the course of these three days, scholars, experts, and film lovers gathered to celebrate and examine the innovative work of filmmaker and artist Sergei Parajanov. We are grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our partners, which enabled us to host this conference that generated rich insights into the lasting value of Parajanov\u2019s legacy,\u201d stated Colleen McQuillen, chair of USC\u2019s Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conference participants especially enjoyed the film screenings with expert introductions and thoughtful discussions. Included in the screening line-up were the recently restored <\/span>Parajanov Triptych: The Arabesques on the Pirosmani Theme<\/span><\/i>,<\/span> Kyiv Frescoes, <\/span><\/i>and<\/span> Hakob Hovnatanyan<\/span><\/i>, his best-known work <\/span>The Color of Pomegranates, <\/span><\/i>and his final film <\/span>Ashik Kerib. <\/span><\/i>Additionally, a rarely seen short documentary by Parajanov\u2019s close friend Mikhail Vartanov, titled <\/span>The Color of Armenian Land, <\/span><\/i>which features Martiros Saryan, Minas Avetisyan, and Arto Tchakmakchian among others, gave a rare behind-the-scenes look into the making of <\/span>The Color of Pomegranates.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The conference was co-sponsored by USC School of Cinematic Arts, USC Levan Institute for the Humanities, USC Department of Art History, USC Dornsife Divisional Dean for the Humanities, USC Dornsife Divisional Dean for the Social Sciences, USC Department of Political Science and International Relations, USC Center for International Studies, USC Cinema and Media Studies Division, USC Department of Comparative Literature, National Association for Armenian Studies Research, Armenian Film Society, and Georgian National Film Center.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n Photos from Parajanov at 100 \n <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
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