A Year-end Report by Razmik Panossian, the Director of the Armenian Communities Department at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

2019 was a year of 150th anniversary celebrations in the Armenian world: the birth of Gomidas Vartabed (Komitas), Hovhannes Toumanian, Levon Shant, Yervant Odian and Calouste Gulbenkian. Throughout the year, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation hosted many events to celebrate its Founder’s life. The commemorations focused on Portugal, given that the largest legacy Gulbenkian left behind is his Foundation, established in 1956 through his will, and headquartered in Lisbon. At the time of his death, in 1955, Gulbenkian was the wealthiest man in the world.

The commemorations started in early January 2019, with the release (simultaneously in English and Portuguese) of the first truly academic biography of our Founder, Mr. Five Per Cent: The Many Lives of Calouste Gulbenkian, the World’s Richest Man, authored by Professor Jonathan Conlin. Based on vast archival sources in multiple languages and countries, including Armenian, the book paints the portrait of an exceptional (and at times quite a difficult) man. Weaving in his business interests, art collecting, family life and philanthropic work, the biography led to some rethinking about Gulbenkian and his legacy, doing away with some myths, and generating much debate within Portugal and elsewhere. The President of Portugal personally attended the launch of the biography in Lisbon, and spoke about it prior to a roundtable discussion with the author. The book was subsequently published in Armenia in October by a local publisher in Armenian and Russian translations.

Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian was born on 23 March 1869, in Uskudar, a suburb of Istanbul. On the actual date of his birth, we celebrated his birthday through various activities. Twelve prizes were granted to the winners of the “Who is Calouste?” nationwide competition at a special award ceremony. The competition was open only to youth (15-25 years old) residing in Portugal. Through their artistic submissions – in music, text, film and visual arts – young people told the story of Mr. Gulbenkian and what he means to them. Their works were displayed at the Foundation in a dedicated exhibition. There were 457 entries from individuals and school-based student groups.

Our 1000-seat Grand Auditorium was abuzz with young people during the ceremony, celebrating the life of Calouste Gulbenkian (while prior to it, our meeting rooms were full of discussions about global citizenship, taking Gulbenkian as an example). The band Collectif Medz Bazar ended the prize ceremony, bringing the audience to its feet. I saw something I had never seen before in the formal setting of the Gulbenkian Foundation’s Grand Auditorium: an Armenian shourchbar in the aisles! Hundreds of young people from around Portugal had brought a special excitement to the Foundation. This was only one component of the celebrations on March 23rd.

At a more formal event on the same day, the memory and legacy of Calouste Gulbenkian was honoured in the presence of invited dignitaries, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and over a thousand guests. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Ejmiatsin’s Pontifical Legate to Western Europe and the Vatican graced us with his presence throughout the day. The Founder’s great-grandson, Martin Essayan, gave a keynote speech highlighting Gulbenkian’s values, the President of the Foundation, Dr. Isabel Mota spoke about the Foundation, and the Gulbenkian Orchestra played Beethoven. In a unique ceremony, a commemorative stamp dedicated to Mr.  Gulbenkian, was jointly issued by Portugal Post and Armenia Post just prior to the main ceremony.

During the evening, a nine month-long exhibition was inaugurated on the life of Gulbenkian, entitled, “Calouste: A Life, Not an Exhibition.” Mounted by the well-known Portuguese curator, Paulo Pires do Vale, the exhibition interrogates conceptually the practice of displaying a real life through the act of exhibiting. Over 32,000 visitors have already experienced the exhibit, which evolves around key events in the life of Calouste Gulbenkian. It is important to note that, as far as we know, this is the first time an exhibition at the Foundation has been mounted in three languages, including Armenian, in addition to Portuguese and English.

Under the umbrella of the 150th anniversary, another exhibition (and related conferences and seminars) was organised by the Gulbenkian Museum, drawing on the Founder’s vast art collection. “The Rise of Islamic Art” (1869-1939) stood out for its beauty and original angle of interpretation. Curated by the Museum’s own Jessica Hallett, the exhibition focussed on Europe’s – and Gulbenkian’s – fascination with Orientalism. It analysed his network of art and antiquities dealers through whom he bought items for his collection (about a quarter of whom were Armenian), and asked the question what “Islamic Art” means? Part of the exhibition included Armenian and other Christian pieces which came from the Islamic world.

A series of concerts, organised by the Foundation’s Music Department, brought Armenian music – and some of our giants – onto our stages. Tigran Mansurian’s requiem moved us deeply as it was played in April by the Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir. The Dellalian Trio and the Lisbon Chamber Ensemble played some of his other pieces. Mansurian himself – celebrating his 80th birthday this year – charmed us by explaining the intricacies of Armenian music in an interview in front of a live audience of music lovers. The Gurdjieff Ensemble, in collaboration with Hewar, and pianist Lusine Grigoryan, delighted us with their intricate music in September. The famous Portuguese pianist, Maria João Pires, staged two packed piano concerts with Armenian music and musicians in September and November: respectively, Talar Dekrmanjian (soprano) and Lilit Grigoryan (piano). Also in November, Tigran Hamasyan wooed us with his dazzling piano and jazz. Finally, the Trio Aeternus and the Dellalian Trio closed the 150th anniversary celebrations with two intimate concerts in December, right within the exhibition devoted to the life of Calouste Gulbenkian.

Outside of the premises of the Foundation, we sponsored an additional concert devoted to Armenian music, in the beautiful setting of the Sintra Palace, by Portugal-Armenia Friendship Society’s Consonância Orchestra. The concert featured the work of Grigor Arakelian, another great Armenian maestro, who conducted and played the “Armenian viola.”

The music of Gomidas was featured in practically all the concerts; his music was intertwined with the life of Calouste Gulbenkian. Two Armenian men, born in the Ottoman Empire during the same year, could not have had more different lives. One died in a psychiatric hospital in France, unable to bear the trauma of the Genocide, while the other died the richest man in the world because of his oil interests in what was the Ottoman Empire (and subsequently Iraq).

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