Apr. 17, 2025
As a prelude to the 7th Berliner Herbstsalon ‘RE-IMAGINE!,’ Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theater presents a festival titled ‘100 + 10 – Armenian Allegories.’ Centered on artists from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora, it reflects on contemporary upheavals through the lens of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Newly commissioned works are presented alongside pieces from the past decade in a multifaceted program that includes an exhibition, a literature and film series, concerts and performances—including several world premieres—across Gorki, Studio, Kiosk and the Palais am Festungsgraben.
Davit Kochunts: ‘Kim,’ 2021, Oil on canvas // Courtesy of the artist and Maxim Gorki Theater
Commemorating the 110th anniversary of the genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, the festival opens on April 24th with ‘The Bird of a Thousand Voices,’ a transmedial live performance reimagining the Armenian folk tale ‘Hazaran Blbul.’ Led by Tigran Hamasyan and Ruben Van Leer, it invokes the mystical bird whose song inspires renewal and self-discovery, symbolizing reawakening after catastrophe.
The following day features two world premieres. Drawing on the 1915 genocide and the 2023 Azerbaijani assault on Nagorno-Karabakh, ‘Donation’ explores what it means to survive one annihilation only to endure another, presenting the body as an archive of violence. In ‘Karabakh Memory,’ Roza Sarkisian traces her family’s history, including her father’s forced displacement alongside 120,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The opening weekend concludes with a concert evening featuring Eileen Khatchadourian and Collectif Medz Bazar, followed by a party.
Anush Babajanyan: ‘Baby in Stepanakert Maternity Hospital,’ from the series ‘A Troubled Home’ // © Anush Babajanyan
Other performance highlights include the Berlin premiere of Nairi Hadodo’s solo piece ‘Kim,’ which brings the Kim Kardashian phenomenon to the stage in an exploration of identity, female power and the media façade; and Anahit Ghazaryan’s ‘Planned Outage,’ which confronts the social and historical conditions of the Armenian post-Soviet era.
Curated by Vigen Galstyan, the group exhibition ‘Future Imperfect: Armenian Art from the Aftermaths’ showcases over 70 works by 40 contemporary Armenian artists reflecting on the aftermath of genocide, displacement and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Featuring photography, painting, video and installations in and around Gorki, it highlights how art bears witness and sparks transformation—not through victimhood clichés, but by emphasizing transnational connections and hope. A program of exhibition talks, artist panels and guided tours accompanies the show.
Anahit Hayrapetyan: ‘The Hayrapetyan Family Portrait, Khtsaberd, Artsakh,’ 2017 // © Anahit Hayrapetyan
In parallel, Galstyan will curate ‘Keeping Up the House,’ a film series presenting over 20 feature films, documentaries and short films from the past 10 years. As part of the literary series ‘Meine Seele im Exil (My Soul in Exile),’ Anahit Bagradjans brings together prominent literary figures from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora alongside key voices from Berlin’s literary scene through staged presentations, readings and discussions.
Festival Info
Gorki
‘100 + 10 – Armenian Allegories’
Festival: Apr. 24–May 31, 2025
gorki.de/100plus10
Am Festungsgraben 2, 10117 Berlin, click here for map
