The Scribe Narrates – The Art of Ara Oshagan

Abstract

Photographer and installation artist Ara Oshagan examines diaspora and displacement, in his solo exhibit, How the World Might Be (2022). Oshagan’s visual vernacular explores Armenian identity, especially as it relates to the subject of indigeneity. Taking his cue from contemporary art – a mix of disparate styles, genres, and media – Oshagan constructs a hybridized model of native Armenian identity, one that is an eclectic mix of peoples, places, and cultures. Consequently, he formulates a new genus of Armenian through his art, much the same way contemporary art mixes dissimilar elements to create a novel art form.