The following announcement was provided by Project Save:
A new documentary photography exhibition by Arlington-based photographer Winslow Martin, “My Armenia (1999–2008),” traces a deeply personal journey through post-Soviet Armenia and the historic moments he witnessed along the way. Opening April 16 through May 30, the exhibition inaugurates Project Save Photograph Archive’s newly expanded gallery space in Watertown.
Project Save is the world’s largest photo archive dedicated to preserving the regional, national and global Armenian experience. Its expansion doubles the group’s space and creates a venue dedicated to exhibitions, public programs, and community engagement opportunities.
ABOUT “MY ARMENIA” EXHIBITION
Curated by fellow photo documentarian Nubar Alexanian, the exhibition traces Martin’s unexpectedly life-changing journeys to Armenia that began when he accompanied St. James Armenian Church pastor Fr. Dajad Davidian on a trip from Watertown to his ancestral homeland. A former high school history teacher who later turned to photography to document Boston’s music scene as well as community news stories, Martin jumped at the opportunity to cover Fr. Davidian’s visit. He has since made dozens of trips to the region on his own over 27 years, exploring the landlocked country’s rich history and stunning natural beauty. [Davidian died in 2018.]
Martin’s 30 photos in “My Armenia” cover the period from 1999-2008, when he returned to capture powerful images of culture, history and daily life during a pivotal period. “The people were overwhelmingly welcoming to me, and I had full access because of my connections there,” Martin says. “I witnessed life as it unfolded, and captured major historical events from the inside, like the election of a new head of the Armenian church, and the funerals of victims from the Armenian National Assembly shooting and hostage crisis in 1999.” [The assassination and its aftermath is remembered in Armenia as “October 27.”]
W says Martin’s exhibition, which includes 30 photographs, stands apart for its commitment to documentary photography rooted in lived experience, sustained presence and trust, rather than observation from a distance.
“Winslow captures a dimension of Armenia rarely seen from the outside,” he says. “The photographs are intimate, unfiltered and deeply human. And here, they mark a new chapter for Project Save, as we create a space where historical ephemera and contemporary photography like this meet and inform each other.”
“My Armenia” is sponsored by Mass Cultural Council, Watertown Savings Bank, Watertown Cultural Council, and Herman and Laura Bilazarian Purutyan.
ABOUT PROJECT SAVE’S NEW GALLERY
Since becoming Executive Director in 2021, Vaun has led a period of significant growth for Project Save, including its 2024 acquisition of its first permanent, public-facing home in Watertown and this spring’s expansion of its headquarters to include a dedicated gallery for contemporary photography. The expansion doubles the organization’s space and creates a dedicated venue for exhibitions, public programs, and community engagement.
It also reflects Project Save’s evolving role as a steward of photographic history and a place where history can exist in conversation with the present day. “At a moment defined by global displacement and instability,” Vaun says, “the stories photographs carry are more vital than ever. Our new space creates a rare space where historical memory and contemporary photography meet—inviting deeper reflection and connection.”
Founded in 1975, Project Save began as a grassroots effort to document the lives of Armenian immigrants through photography. Over five decades, the organization has grown into the world’s largest Armenian photographic archive, with more than 150,000 original images and ephemera from communities around the globe. Project Save continues to expand its mission through exhibitions, public programming, and initiatives that bring historical archives into dialogue with contemporary photographic practice.
GALLERY LOCATION AND HOURS
- “My Armenia (1999–2008)” on view April 16 to May 30, 2026 at Project Save Photograph Archive, 600 Pleasant Street in Watertown, Mass.
- Gallery hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-5:30 p.m., Saturdays from 12-4 p.m., and by appointment. Directions and more details at projectsave.org or 617-923-4542.
- Opening reception Thursday, April 16, 6:30-9 p.m. RSVP here.