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The History Museum of Armenia together with the Tufenkian Artisan Carpets launches the temporary exhibition “Voices from Our Collective Past: The Artistry of 19th century Armenian Carpets from the James Tufenkian Collection" on September 3.

The body of materials included in the exhibition are unique pieces of 19th-century Armenian carpets from the private collection of James Tufenkian, showing the wide range and scope of the rich Armenian carpet weaving tradition for the first time, the History Museum said on Tuesday.

The private collection of James Tufenkian is displayed in dialogue with a collection of archival photographs from the early 20th century, taken during different field trips by the team of ethnographers of the History Museum of Armenia, and studio portraits from photographer Dimitri Yermakov. The latter serve as important ethnographic records of the Armenians’ practice of carpet-making and their use and meaning in everyday life throughout the ages. Contemporary photographs from Artsakh and from other parts of Armenia, along with audiovisual documentation of the factory of the Tufenkian Artisan Carpets, help one delve deeper and understand the context of Armenian carpet-making yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The exhibition will be on view to the public for one year, during which various events are planned.