Curator Gassia Armenian discusses the history of Armenian needle lace in the U.S. Janyak (Ժանյակ), for centuries a precious cultural expression linking Armenians across the world. A portable and enduring art form passed from mother to daughter, it has connected generations both in their homeland and in the diaspora, transmitting cultural heritage and values.
Gassia Armenian is a curatorial and research associate at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, where she conducts collections research and facilitates curatorial and scholarly endeavors. She also liaises with domestic and international institutions, private collectors, and lenders to the Fowler, and manages various aspects of planning and organizing the museum’s exhibitions and publications. Over the past 25 years, Armenian has helped to mount many exhibitions at the Fowler. Prior to that, she served as a consultant/project coordinator for the U.S. Agency for International Development for Junior Achievement of Armenia, developing and implementing civics education training programs and teaching methodologies.
