The exhibit – entitled “Thank You to the United States: Three Gifts
to Presidents in Gratitude for American Generosity Abroad” – will
showcase the Orphan Rug, also known as the Ghazir rug, as well as the
Sèvres vase, given to President Herbert Hoover in 1930 in appreciation for
feeding children in post-World War I France, and the Flowering Branches
in Lucite, given to President Barack Obama in recognition of American
support of the people of Japan after the devastating earthquake and
tsunami in 2010.
The Armenian Orphan Rug was woven by Armenian orphans in 1920, and presented to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925 as a symbol
of gratitude for American aid and generosity for U.S. assistance during
the Armenian genocide. The rug, which measures 11’7″ x 18’5”and has been in storage at the White House for decades, has over 4,000,000
hand-tied knots and took the Armenian girls in the Ghazir orphanage of
the Near East Relief 10 months to weave. President Coolidge noted that, “The rug has a place of honor in the
White House where it will be a daily symbol of goodwill on earth.” It was removed with President
Coolidge’s personal possessions when he left office in 1929 but was
returned to the White House as a gift from his family in 1982. The rug, made to characterize the Garden of Eden,
has only been displayed twice since then.
The display of the rug erupted into controversy late last
year, when the White House abruptly and inexplicably decided a reversal of
its agreement to lend the rug for a December 16, 2013, exhibition at
the Smithsonian Institute, organized in cooperation with the Armenian
Cultural Foundation and the Armenian Rug Society. At the time, Armenian American groups speculated
that the Turkish government was behind the White House’s refusal.
With tensions rising between the United States and Turkey over how best to handle the crisis in Syria, the decision still came as a surprise. In an interview with Public Radio International (PRI), "Washington Post" art critic Philip Kennicott, who broke the news of the White House’s change of mind, noted that while the White House has not offered an explanation for the reversal in decision last December, it is likely due to the U.S. government’s deference to Turkey’s international campaign of genocide denial.
With tensions rising between the United States and Turkey over how best to handle the crisis in Syria, the decision still came as a surprise. In an interview with Public Radio International (PRI), "Washington Post" art critic Philip Kennicott, who broke the news of the White House’s change of mind, noted that while the White House has not offered an explanation for the reversal in decision last December, it is likely due to the U.S. government’s deference to Turkey’s international campaign of genocide denial.
The White House response at that time was vague – with National
Security Staff Assistant Press Secretary Laura Lucas Magnuson offering
the following comment to "Asbarez": “The Ghazir rug
is a reminder of the close relationship between the peoples of Armenia
and the United States. We regret that it is not possible to loan it out
at this time.” A statement with the same exact wording was released to
the "Washington Post" at the time.
Schiff and Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) sent a letter along with 31
other representatives to President Obama last year urging his administration to
allow exhibition of the rug. They stated: “The Armenian Orphan Rug is a piece
of American history and it belongs to the American people. For over a
decade, Armenian American organizations have sought the public display
of the rug and have requested the White House and the State Department
grant their request on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, Armenian
Americans have yet to have their requests granted. We urge you to
release this American treasure for exhibition.”
“The Armenian Orphan Rug embodies the resilience of the Armenian
people through their darkest days and serves as a poignant reminder of
1.5 Armenians who were murdered in the first genocide of the 20th
Century. It also reminds Americans that our government was a central
player in efforts to call attention to the plight of the Armenian people
and provide relief to survivors,” said Rep. Schiff. “Since first
raising this issue with the White House, we have worked to find a
dignified way to display the Rug so that Americans can come to see this
important artifact, and learn about an important chapter of the shared
history of the Armenian and American peoples. I want to thank the White
House for working with us, and look forward to seeing the rug displayed
at the White House Visitors Center.”
Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly, likewise welcomed the White House decision and said he and others will “look forward to the permanent display” of the rug.
Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly, likewise welcomed the White House decision and said he and others will “look forward to the permanent display” of the rug.
Armenian-American Congressional Caucus co-chairman Frank Pallone
called the White House decision to display the rug “an important step in
recognizing historical accuracy.”
“The White House has taken an important step in recognizing
historical accuracy by displaying the Armenian orphan rug. The rug was
presented to President Coolidge on behalf of the Armenian people to
honor the U.S. assistance provided during the Armenian genocide. As a
result, this cultural treasure has become a symbol of the strong and
historic ties between the United States and Armenia,” said Pallone in a
statement.
“I sent a letter to President Obama urging him to allow this unique
gift to go on display in a place where all Americans could view it. I
believe that past attempts to keep this rug behind closed doors were
fueled by the Turkish government’s desire to prevent any further
dialogue about the Armenian genocide. It is my hope that the rug’s
exhibition will facilitate academic discourse and allow the American
people to reflect on our positive role during a dark period of history,”
added Pallone.
Although grateful that the rug will now be seen, Aram S. Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, is concerned that this may be a symbolic gesture meant to appease the Armenian American community and that 2015 will pass without the president allowing the U.S. government to formally acknowledge the genocide.
Although grateful that the rug will now be seen, Aram S. Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, is concerned that this may be a symbolic gesture meant to appease the Armenian American community and that 2015 will pass without the president allowing the U.S. government to formally acknowledge the genocide.
“We hope the display of this rug will mark real progress, not a substitute for progress,” Hamparian said.
He
is also concerned about how the rug will be explained in the
exhibition, and whether information accompanying it will forthrightly
use the word genocide. If the display doesn’t speak directly about the
events, he says, the rug’s appearance for the first time since 1995 may
yet leave a sour taste among many Armenian Americans.
“I
would go see it, but it would pain my heart if it was shown in the
context of euphemisms and evasive language,” Hamparian said.
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