THE ARMENIAN MUSEUM OF FRESNO PRESENTS: MEMORY OF THE MARSEVAN ARTBOOKS: THE HEALING ART OF VICTORIA KHATCHERIAN

· April 6, 2026

A Tribute to Resilience, Creativity, and Cultural Memory at the AMF’s ZARTONK Gallery

FRESNO, CA — The Armenian Museum of Fresno (AMF) presents Memory of the Marsevan Artbooks: The Healing Art of Victoria Khatcherian, an exhibition of artwork that survived the Armenian Genocide. Previously on view at the museum, the exhibition was featured at the Museum’s ZARTONK Gallery during Downtown ArtHop on April 2, offering the public an opportunity to experience this collection in a new setting. The ZARTONK Gallery in the Helm Building, located at 1107 Fulton Street in Downtown Fresno, CA 93721. The exhibition will be on display throughout the months of April and May. Admission is free.

Victoria Khatcherian was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide who, through her art, preserved not only her own story but also the spirit of an entire people. From Marsevan, Armenia (now Turkey) to Fresno, California, her delicate drawings—fragile yet powerful testaments to endurance—survived against all odds.

Khatcherian created her remarkable designs before 1907 as part of her work to earn a teaching credential in Marsevan, never imagining that they would one day become a symbol of cultural resilience and hope. One of these original works now forms the foundation of the Armenian Museum’s new logo, ensuring that her vision lives on as a beacon of remembrance, strength, and inspiration.

“We are honored to share this powerful exhibition with the community in a new setting and grateful to the Knar family for entrusting her grandmother’s artwork to us,” said Varoujan Der Simonian, Director of the Armenian Museum of Fresno. “Victoria’s story embodies survival and preservation, and presenting her work during Downtown ArtHop allows us to extend the Museum’s mission, connecting generations through stories of resilience, past and present.”

“Her designs are as relevant today as they were 120 years ago, and to me that is just remarkable,” said Jane Knar, Khatcherian’s granddaughter and caretaker of her art. “When my grandmother came to the United States, she passed along the designs to my father and told him that they were very precious to her and that he must keep them as a treasure and pass them along. When I got my teaching credential, my father handed them to me like a present and told me that now it was my turn to care for them. I feel blessed that I have been able to carry this work for all these years.”

In conjunction with the exhibition, select designs by Victoria Khatcherian have been reproduced on T-shirts, notecards, and other gift items, available for purchase in the museum gift shop. Proceeds will support the ongoing preservation and presentation of her work, helping to share her story with future generations.