Spotlight: Did you know That an Armenian Priest Brought the First Photography Workshop to Palestine?

Library > Community Presentations

Presenter: Lizzy Vartanian

Delivered: London on May 14, 2023

Lizzy explores photography in Palestine. She talks about Yessai Garabedian, an Armenian priest who set up the first photography workshop in the entire region, in the St James Convent of Jerusalem.

Sources & Future References

• Against Photography By Akram Zaatari

• Politics of Portraiture, The Studio of the Krikorians l Institute of Palestine Studies

• The Armenian Pioneers of Middle Eastern Photography l Institute of Palestine Studies

• See the First Photographs Ever Taken of Jerusalem l Smithsonian Magazine

• Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem l Atlas Obscura

• Arrival of a Peculiar Art: Photography in the Ottoman Empire l Tribe Magazine

• Khalil Raad - Jerusalem Photographer

Note: All community presentations are prepared & presented by non-experts on the subject. They are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in that subject.

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About Afikra Community Presentations

Delivered and prepared by afikra Community members, the presentation’s goal is to showcase the presenter’s curiosity and research and share some knowledge on a ‎topic related to the Arab world’s histories and cultures. The presentation is the ‎culmination of the afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research, and develop the ‎presentation. afikra presentations come in two forms, a long question-driven afikra Feature, and a short afikra FWD with the purpose of sharing something interesting.