Culture And Arts

‘Vay Başıma Gelen’ on Stage in February and March
‘Vay Başıma Gelen’ on Stage in February and March
The Pangaltı High School Alumni Association (PLYD) continues to stage the play titled ‘Vay Başıma Gelen’ (The Crazy Time), written by author Sam Bobrick. The play will be performed for the benefit of various institutions within the Armenian community.
Today 13:07
Wedding
IF LENSES COULD TALK
Wedding
"Photographer Berge Arabian tells the stories behind his photographs in his column titled 'If lenses could talk,' featured in the culture and arts pages of Agos. This week’s installment covers his first visit to Turkey and topics such as 'Surp Asdvadzadzin Church... Church, church... Patriarchate... Kumkapı'."
2 March 2026
Protest
IF LENSES COULD TALK
Protest
In his column titled ‘If Lenses Could Talk’ for the arts and culture pages of Agos, photographer Berge Arabian shares the stories behind his photographs. This week’s focus is on a protest he documented in Istanbul.
23 February 2026
İlker Çatak Wins Golden Bear, Emin Alper Wins Silver Bear
BERLINALE, THE FESTIVAL OF CRISES, HAS CONCLUDED
İlker Çatak Wins Golden Bear, Emin Alper Wins Silver Bear
At the Berlin Film Festival, İlker Çatak won the festival’s top prize, the Golden Bear, with his film “Yellow Letters” while Emin Alper was awarded the Silver Bear for his film Salvation (Kurtuluş). In his speech, which sent greetings to Rojava, Gaza, Iran, and Silivri, Alper commemorated Gezi prisoners Çiğdem Mater, Tayfun Kahraman, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, and Osman Kavala, saying, “You are not alone.” He also sent a message of “You are not alone” to Selahattin Demirtaş, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and imprisoned mayors.
22 February 2026
Tarkmanças celebrates its 240Th anniversary with a theater play
Tarkmanças celebrates its 240Th anniversary with a theater play
Ortaköy Tarkmanças School is celebrating its 240th anniversary. Ganç (Call) Theater Group, consisting of school alumni, will stage the play ‘Baronyan Reloaded,’ which they have been working on for a year for the celebrations. The play will meet the audience on Tuesday evening, February 24, at 20:30 at the Beşiktaş Süleyman Seba Culture and Art Center.
22 February 2026
81 Artists Call on Berlinale: “Do Not Stay Silent on Genocide”
FROM JAVIER BARDEM TO TILDA SWINTON
81 Artists Call on Berlinale: “Do Not Stay Silent on Genocide”
Eighty-one artists, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, Brian Cox, and Adam McKay, have called on Berlinale officials to take a stand against the genocide in Gaza and to express this stance openly.
18 February 2026
British Museum removes "Palestine" from exhibitions
British Museum removes "Palestine" from exhibitions
The British Museum, an institution already facing scrutiny for its controversial collection and recent theft scandals, has removed the term "Palestine" from various maps and information panels in its Ancient Middle East galleries. The decision follows "concerns" raised by the UK Lawyers for Israel.
17 February 2026
Dr. İkna Sarıaslan has passed away
Dr. İkna Sarıaslan has passed away
Farewell to One of the Last Figures of Istanbul Armenian Literature Dr. İkna Sarıaslan, a prominent writer of Istanbul Armenian literature and a long-time physician, has passed away at the age of 81 following a period of health issues. A funeral ceremony will be held for Sarıaslan on Wednesday, February 18, at 2:00 PM at the Beyoğlu Üç Horan Church.
16 February 2026
A special school
IF LENSES COULD TALK
A special school
Photographer Berge Arabian narrates the stories behind his shots in his Agos column, 'If Lenses Could Talk.' This week, he features an Armenian language course in Diyarbakır, along with its instructor and students.
16 February 2026 Berge Arabian
Lale Kıraathanesi in Istanbul’s Pangaltı Has Closed
Lale Kıraathanesi in Istanbul’s Pangaltı Has Closed
Lale Kıraathanesi on Tavukçu Fethi Street in Pangaltı recently closed its doors. It is currently undergoing rapid renovation. When I stopped by, the chairs had been taken away, the counter and the stove were dismantled, and the “tea time” sign on the wall had been taken down, though the sign on the window was still in place.
4 February 2026 Bülent Aydın
Yerevan: The City Where Art Breathes
Yerevan: The City Where Art Breathes
“Yerevan possessed one of the most beautiful city centers I have seen among Middle Eastern and Caucasian cities. Unique stone structures, vast Soviet-style squares, boulevards, the aesthetics of street names and signs, parks, and statues… It gave the appearance of a city where art breathes. Walking along its wide avenues created the feeling of wandering through the streets of a European city, rather than being in the center of a country that shares a border with Turkey.”
2 February 2026
"The fear of forgetting, the difficulty of remembering"
JOINT EVENT FROM HANGARDZ AND ISTOS
"The fear of forgetting, the difficulty of remembering"
A conversation series revolving around Hangardz’s new play '52 Hertz' begins tomorrow. In the event taking place on January 28 at 19:30 at the istos office, Reha Keskin and Miran Bulut will open to discussion female authors’ experiences of writing in Armenian, cultural memory, and practices of remembering in language.
28 January 2026
Mapping Armenian Paris: A new project by CALFA
Mapping Armenian Paris: A new project by CALFA
The newspaper archives of the Samuelian Bookstore in the heart of Paris, a vital landmark of Armenian cultural heritage, are being transformed into a digital map through AI technology. Calfa and its partners have entered a new phase to uncover Armenian shops, associations, and social life in 20th-century Paris.
21 January 2026
Epiphany Enthusiasm in Fener: Prayers, bells, and the cross retrieved from the sea…
Epiphany Enthusiasm in Fener: Prayers, bells, and the cross retrieved from the sea…
The Feast of Epiphany, symbolizing the baptism of Jesus Christ, was celebrated in Istanbul with the "Cross Retrieval Ceremony from the Sea" led by the Fener Greek Patriarchate. As part of a tradition maintained for centuries, Vasilios Konstantinidis retrieved the cross thrown into the Golden Horn by Patriarch Bartholomew among 40 participants. The ceremony witnessed colorful moments with the release of white doves into the sky.
7 January 2026 Marta Sömek
"You will protect 'Maral' and keep it alive"
MARAL’S PERFORMANCE AT AKM WATCHED WITH GREAT ADMIRATION
"You will protect 'Maral' and keep it alive"
The Maral Music and Dance Ensemble, operating under the Esayan Alumni Association, organized the final event of its 45th-anniversary celebrations.
26 December 2025
Western Armenian Translation Grant Awarded to Aktokmakyan and Janbazian
Western Armenian Translation Grant Awarded to Aktokmakyan and Janbazian
This year’s grant covered literary works written in Western Armenian from any period and across all literary genres. Among the submissions received, two works were found equally successful by the judges.
24 December 2025 Norayr Olgar
"My reality is being human, my spice is my Armenianness"
THE END OF ‘SOUND OF OUR LIFE’ WITH ARTO TUNÇBOYACIYAN
"My reality is being human, my spice is my Armenianness"
Arto Tunçboyacıyan has concluded his quarter-century journey with his legendary group, the Armenian Navy Band, through the album “Cold Mountain - The End.” The master musician spoke about the 'rhythm' of life, ranging from artificial intelligence to identity politics, and from memories of Charles Aznavour to advice for the new generation.
22 December 2025 Antranik Bakırcıoğlu
Ara Malikian’s Violin Set to Resound in Yerevan
Ara Malikian’s Violin Set to Resound in Yerevan
Lebanese-Armenian virtuoso Ara Malikian, considered one of the world's best violinists, is preparing to return to Yerevan for a highly anticipated concert as part of his "Intruso World Tour." The concert will take place on February 15 at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan. The world-famous artist's Turkey concert, scheduled for 2022, was canceled due to security reasons.
16 December 2025
At the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit with the Pope: Excitement, Tears, Faith, and a Divine Moment
At the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit with the Pope: Excitement, Tears, Faith, and a Divine Moment
Pope Leo XIV's "prayer meeting" at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit - Saint Esprit became a shared expression of enthusiasm that overflowed the cathedral and centuries-old faith. Hundreds of people witnessed the historic ceremony that transformed the Pope's "First Apostolic Journey" into a divine moment, as the spirit of "unity" from the First Council of Nicaea prevailed.
28 November 2025 Marta Sömek
Inauguration of the Ara Hrechdakian Chair of Armenian Studies at Saint Joseph University of Beirut
Inauguration of the Ara Hrechdakian Chair of Armenian Studies at Saint Joseph University of Beirut
Saint Joseph University of Beirut inaugurated the Ara Hrechdakian Chair of Armenian Studies on October 27, 2025, made possible through a generous donation from the Hrechdakian family. The Chair, operating within the university's Bibliothèque Orientale, will focus on research activities while organizing academic conferences, cultural workshops, and exhibitions, as well as offering courses in Armenian Studies. Actress Arsinée Khanjian has been appointed as Chairholder, and Dr. Vahe Tachjian will serve as Executive Director. The Chair plans to create a website devoted to Armenian communities in Lebanon and the Middle East, aiming to preserve family materials and reconstruct the memory of community life while engaging both Armenian and non-Armenian audiences.
9 November 2025

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Silva Bingaz and Opus 3c: In Pursuit of the Unseen and the Unrecorded
Silva Bingaz and Opus 3c: In Pursuit of the Unseen and the Unrecorded
Artist photographer Silva Bingaz’s exhibition, Opus 3c, opened on February 17 at Öktem Aykut Art Gallery (İstanbul) . Bingaz’s photography goes beyond the conventional act of “taking a photograph” (capturing an image and taking it away). Through her predominantly black-and-white frames, she translates the divine moment of encounter between images and the gaze into an infinite narrative in the most intimate way possible. Drawing from her new exhibition, we spoke with Bingaz about the processes of documenting the acts of “giving birth; and the efforts to record the act of bringing into existence, the act that remains unrecorded and rather traditionally unknown”
23 March 2025 Aylin Vartanyan
Gomidas in Kütahya (Gudina) after 155 years
Gomidas in Kütahya (Gudina) after 155 years
October 20, 2024 was recorded in the city memory of Kütahya as the day that priest Gomidas was remembered publicly for the first time in his birthplace. Gomidas begins his autobiography with the lines, “I was born on September 26, 1869 in the city of Gudina (Kütahya) in Asia Minor, they named me Soğomon.” Based on this document, many Armenians in the past went to Kütahya to see the city where Gomidas was born, and if they could, even the house where he was born. This time, we hit the road to Kütahya as a guest of the Kütahya City Council History, Cultural Heritage and Local Values ​​Working Group.
14 November 2024 Pakrat Estukyan
Boxing, dance, and Romani culture: An extraordinary film experience in Leipzig
Boxing, dance, and Romani culture: An extraordinary film experience in Leipzig
“Dance is the hidden language of the soul, of the body.” Martha Graham
23 September 2024 Vartan Estukyan
An exhibition focusing on Antakya after the earthquake: Art at the Zero Point
An exhibition focusing on Antakya after the earthquake: Art at the Zero Point
Art at the Zero Point, formed by a group of artists, most of whom are from Antakya, opened an exhibition on the damage caused by the earthquakes in Antakya and the current state of the city. The exhibition, hosted by Gallery KUB in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, opened on Saturday, September 7.
13 September 2024 Vartan Estukyan
A Journey into the Soul of Armenian Music with Lilit Pipoyan
A Journey into the Soul of Armenian Music with Lilit Pipoyan
As a passionate listener of her music, I had the honour of having a sincere conversation with the esteemed Armenian musician and composer Lilit Pipoyan for Agos readers. While Armenian music triggers a memory that has become the language of pain and conscience, countless works by Armenian artists have inspired many cultures and are in danger of being translated into other languages and lost. We had a conversation for more than two hours with Lilit Pipoyan over the Zoom, who interpreted Armenian songs from centuries ago and brought them to the present day, breathing heart into her voice.
28 April 2024 Hilal Seven
Gorky in Venice
Gorky in Venice
Gorky, in Venice, is a unique exhibit. To have so many of his works, few of which survived the numerous disasters during his lifetime, is in itself an event.
17 June 2019 Vicken Cheterian
Parajanov with Sarkis in Pera – An Appreciation
Parajanov with Sarkis in Pera – An Appreciation
If there is one thing that is undeniable about Sergei Parajanov it is that he was born to create art.
4 January 2019 Eric Nazarian
Ara Jan, goodbye…
Ara Jan, goodbye…
Ara, who for decades, watched the world through the veiwfinder and clicked for images thousands of times to imortalize humanity hus shut his eyes and covered the lens of his cameras for good. Ara Güler’s images will live on, he will live thorugh the people who’s lives he touched.
21 November 2018
Another world, Tatavla
Another world, Tatavla
The exhibition “70TK: From Tatavla to Kurtuluş” will be open until 1 October. We met with its curator Dr. Banu Pekol, to talk about the project.
29 September 2017 Gözde Kazaz
Golden Apricot that started with the scandal is spectacularly over
Golden Apricot that started with the scandal is spectacularly over
21 July 2017 Eric Nazarian
Tracing the children's books that raised “Armenia of Kurds”
Tracing the children's books that raised “Armenia of Kurds”
Asia and Africa collection of British Library in London offers books that tell a story of Kurdish language and culture that is not widely known. More than hundred works in Kurdish, especially children's books, that were published in Soviet Armenia in Cyrillic, Armenian and Latin alphabets have come to light again thanks to cataloging efforts of Michael Erdman, library's curator of Turkish and Turkic languages.
12 May 2017 Fatih Gökhan Diler
“Turkish song” censor to Collectif Medz Bazar
“Turkish song” censor to Collectif Medz Bazar
Collectif Medz Bazar was going to perform in the concert for commemorating Armenian Genocide in Arnouville city near Paris. However, they decided not to perform, after the organization requested not to perform their Turkish songs. The band reacted against this situation with a letter.
20 April 2017 Rupen Varjabedyan