1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«My thesis investigates a small corpus of family photographs, taken prior to and after the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), which have been passed on through generations. My interest lies in determining the meaning of these images in relation to a history of trauma in the family.» (p. iii)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«My corpus consists of 15 images drawn from photographic collections and memoirs of my paternal side (Nazarian family) and of my maternal side (Demirdjian–Kouladjian families). I also study images in my future father-in-law’s collection (Yapoudjian–Keshkegian families) as they connect with my parents’ families.» (p. 12)

Type de traitement des données :
Réflexion critique

3. Résumé

«It is safe to say that notions of family, memory and place are distinct and yet inextricably connected if not in constant interaction with each other. Yet in attempting to define identity, one ought to pay close consideration to notions of family and place. Considering the history of these families, one quickly realizes that both key elements are problematic due to the forced displacements of the families and their traumatic pasts.» (p. 74) «Memory is essentially lived experience, therefore the transmission of memory entails the transmission of experience. In the impossibility of replicating a lived experience, the photograph acts as a vessel of communication.» (p. 77) À la suite de ses recherches, l’auteur conclut que «the quest of one’s own identity can become complex, especially where difficult pasts are involved. In an image-dominated world, one encounters a myriad of meanings encompassed in a photograph. Indeed, the family photograph triggers recall, emotions, nostalgia, but most importantly, it enlivens memory, which is part of a collective identity.» (p. 80)