Fresno Armenian-American artwork showcased after 120 years

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – An art exhibit in Downtown Fresno’s Art Hop is sharing a story of survival through drawings that outlived a genocide. 

“This is a very unique exhibition in the sense that it comes from 120-year-old art that was created in Armenia prior to coming to Fresno. That’s the beauty of it,” Armenian Heritage Museum Curator Varoujan Der Simonian said.

The artwork belongs to Victoria Khatcherian, a young woman from the Armenian highlands who fled violence and persecution in the early 1900’s, now known as the Armenian Genocide. But before she ever knew what was coming, she was creating.

“I looked at it. I was amazed by the quality of the work that Victoria has done,” Der Simonian said.

And even today, 120 years later, her work doesn’t feel distant – it feels familiar.

“It’s very, very unique and you can relate to it because it’s so contemporary,” Der Simonian said.

And here in Fresno, where generations of Armenian families have built their lives, that history isn’t just remembered – it’s lived.

“It’s the link between the past and the present,” Der Simonian said.

And while this art is rooted in Armenian history, its message reaches far beyond it.

“It’s significant because we are all immigrant communities throughout the valley… and having this kind of art in our community, I think it’s value to Fresno,” Der Simonian said.

The free exhibit will be available for the public from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fresno ArtHop.