Zobian Marks 10th Anniversary with Art on Wheels

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—When it comes to promoting fine art and photography, Berge Ara Zobian finds himself in the driver’s seat—literally.

He stumbled across an old, discarded Fed-Ex truck, dumped $9,000 into the project, and turned the 18-foot box car into a traveling art gallery. Upon renovation, the interior featured a hardwood floor, hanging system, surround stereo sound, digital monitors and track lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.

_MG_2895 — Photographer Berge Zobian stands ready to take his art show on the road. (Photo by Tom Vartabedian)

Now, he’s set to hit the road with other people’s consignment art. His own photography will take a back seat. The 45-linear-foot vehicle is expected to house about 25 medium pieces of art.

Zobian calls his latest mission “Art on Wheels,” and he’ll make his stops at schools, private homes, corporations, art fairs, and festivals. The Armenian side stands out vividly. A tricolor will be displayed on its side. The unique venture will serve as a mobile calling card for the Rhode Island art community.

He’s financed the project with a sponsorship campaign called kickstarter.com.

Over the past decade, Zobian has operated Gallery Z on the west side of Providence in the historic Federal Hill district.

“I want to bring original art to many destinations and communities where it is not available or accessible,” says the 54-year-old photographer. “The Gallery Z ArtMobile is the latest concept for bringing fine art to the streets of Providence and beyond.”

Zobian’s life has turned into a juggling act of sorts. He opened a photo studio in 1983 before venturing toward an art studio in 2001, all while helping raise five children with wife Jayne.

Born in Aleppo, Syria, he moved to Lebanon before immigrating to New York City in 1971, and finally Rhode Island in 1983. He’s worked as a photographer and taught at Rhode Island College, where he secured a master’s degree in photography.

Over the years, he’s photographed everyone from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and anthropologist Margaret Mead to William Saroyan, actress Vanessa Redgrave, genocide survivors, and models.

He’s been to Armenia six times, including four trips following the earthquake. His itinerary is also bolstered by a half dozen visits to Lebanon. Not pleasure-shooting per se; his time was spent in the war zone during tumultuous times, bent on getting the shots of a lifetime.

His vast collection is estimated around 500,000 images over what can be described as a prolific 38-year career. Hardly an Armenian community event passes that Zobian doesn’t capture with his lens. More than anything, what’s shot is shared by the masses.

“Art fills the soul,” he maintains. “In this day and age, there’s so much uncertainty and turmoil in our economy. Art comforts people and arouses their creativity.”

At a recent panagoum sponsored by the ARF at Camp Haiastan, Zobian’s camera was like a Gatling gun as he fired away, capturing every nuance of the weekend with images that preserve a moment in time.

The Saroyan photo remains a classic, standing at a podium with his arms extended as if embracing his people. An exhibit on tattooed subjects remains in sharp contrast to another he did on Armenian eyes.

“Photographing people has been a lifelong passion for me,” he notes. “From the time I held my first camera, I felt an affinity for it.”

A keen observer of the human condition, Zobian strives to bring truth and beauty to every image he creates. Every shoot turns into a warm and spontaneous experience, full of emotion. It’s been a career that knows no boundaries.

The Fed-Ex idea comes at a time when budget constraints are raising havoc with school art programs. In some ways, his project will fill the need and plant a seed. Like the traveling bookmobile of long ago, Zobian’s ArtMobile could very well have long-range consequences.

Most all of what he houses in his Gallery Z is on consignment, and artists like Simon Samsonian, Ruben Nakian, Kevork Mourad, and Anoush Bargamian have all benefitted from it. Bargamian has sold just about everything she’s exhibited. They’re all fine, original works—no reproductions.

Be it known that over these 10 years, a total of 108 exhibits have been shown at his gallery with promising results. Armenians have a platform here, regardless of their destination.

“Some of my best moments are working with the Armenian community,” Zobian maintains. “I feel very close to my cause. And if photography helps me to promote that instinct, even better.”

Has it been a struggle, given some tenuous moments in the industry?

“Challenging is a better word,” he adds. “Each good photograph comes with a challenge.”

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Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.