Songs Dedicated to the Armenian Diaspora by an Artist
# Exploring the Transformative Power of Music in Silvina Der-Meguerditchian’s *Those Who Take Care of Us*
**Berlin—** Music has often been described as a universal language, a force that brings people together, transcending borders and bridging cultural gaps. In her latest exhibition, *Those Who Take Care of Us*, Armenian-Argentinian artist Silvina Der-Meguerditchian goes beyond this cliché to offer a deeply layered and reflective exploration of music’s role in history, migration, and identity. On view at **Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien** in Berlin, this multimedia exhibition presents music not just as a form of artistic expression but as a crucial thread in the fabric of collective memory.
## **Resonance: The Voice of the Qanun**
Curated by **Barbara Höffer** and **Lusin Reinsch**, the exhibition is structured around three thematic pillars: *Resonance, Memory,* and *Care.* The first theme, *Resonance*, takes center stage with the display of a **qanun**, a traditional stringed instrument widely used in Armenian, Southwest Asian, and North African music. Der-Meguerditchian’s art examines the qanun as both a literal instrument and a metaphor for cultural continuity and exchange.
In her short film *Qanun Archives: Cairo Munich* (2024), the artist follows Egyptian qanun player **Hanan El Shamouty**, whose story of migration to Germany reveals a bias in Western music education that often neglects non-European musical traditions. A Black Nile catfish—whose skin is used in qanun string-making—serves as an unusual narrator, reinforcing the idea of sound as a carrier of deep-rooted traditions.
Similar narratives unfold in *Qanun Archives: Buenos Aires* (2025) and *Armenia* (2025), which explore how the instrument has traveled across continents and generations. The stories highlight the qanun’s ability to transcend geographic and cultural divides, reflecting the history of migration while celebrating the resilience of musical heritage.
## **Memory: The Role of Archival Storytelling**
From the exhibition’s second section emerges a powerful dialogue between personal legacy and historical memory. **Memory**, as an artistic theme, manifests through a collection of archival photographs, letters, and documents embedded into laminated carpets. These intricate visual tapestries evoke the narratives of displaced communities, particularly those of Armenian diaspora members who have left traces of their history in places like **Aleppo, Istanbul, and Berlin**.
The interwoven layers of portraits, old passports, and postcards serve as poignant artifacts of migration, loss, and resilience. The tactile experience of these artworks echoes the way music, much like memory, is passed down—imprinted in personal and collective consciousness.
## **Care: Music as a Gesture of Preservation**
In the final theme, *Care*, Der-Meguerditchian shifts attention to the body as a vessel for both music and memory. She presents a series of **braided wool sculptures**, each named after a woman, hung like relics on the walls—symbolizing the long-standing role of women as cultural stewards.
Her 2024 short film, *Care to Care*, captures young women in a pastoral setting brushing each other’s hair in rhythmic, meditative motions. These acts—seemingly simple gestures—mirror the fluidity and tenderness found in playing a musical instrument. Through these visual metaphors, the exhibition suggests that care, whether for historical narratives, personal identity, or cultural traditions, is an active process—one deeply intertwined with the continuity of art, music, and lived experience.
## **Final Reflections: Music as a Living Language**
*Those Who Take Care of Us* is not simply an exhibition about music; it is a meditation on **cultural endurance, memory, and human connection**. Through her multimedia installations, Der-Meguerditchian expands the definition of music, presenting it as more than sound, but rather a **living, breathing entity**—one preserved through gestures, traditions, and the intimate act of storytelling.
Her work reminds us that music does not merely exist in performance halls or recordings; it is embedded in our everyday lives, shaping identities and safeguarding histories. Whether through the strings of a qanun, the rhythm of daily rituals, or the visual form of old photographs, *Those Who Take Care of Us* reveals that music is, indeed, a **force of care**—one that nurtures the present while honoring the past.
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**Exhibition Details:**
*Those Who Take Care of Us* is on view at **Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien (Mariannenplatz 2, Berlin, Germany) through April 6, 2024**. The exhibition was curated by **Barbara Höffer** and **Lusin Reinsch**.