Pauline Adamek
Embracing Diasporic Art: Portraits of Joan Agajanian Quinn at ReflectSpace presents thirty-five original portraits of Quinn made by diasporic, immigrant, and culturally diverse artists. Selected from Quinn’s personal art collection and archive of over three hundred works, the exhibition highlights a distinct part of each artists’ unique story and how they capture Quinn’s vital and enduring presence.
Often described as the doyenne of the Los Angeles art scene, Joan Agajanian Quinn’s image has been captured by more artists than any other living person. She has been painted, photographed, and sculpted by many of the prolific artists she has befriended throughout her years in Los Angeles and other cities, including art luminaries such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Larry Bell, Ed Ruscha, and many more renowned artists.
As West Coast editor of Interview magazine, host of The Joan Quinn Profiles, and throughout her career in journalism, the arts, and philanthropy, Joan Agajanian Quinn has seamlessly moved between roles as advocate, chronicler, catalyst, and friend, championing artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and across disciplines and generations. Through their work, the artists reflect the richness of cultural exchange and collaboration.
The exhibition extends into the PassageWay, where Quinn’s own snapshots reveal her instinct for documenting intimate moments with legendary figures like Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. These spontaneous photographs unveil another facet of Quinn’s artistic orbit, capturing her ability to be both documentarian and active participant in significant artistic circles.
Through these portraits and photographs, viewers witness decades of artistic dialogue across communities and cultures. Quinn’s unwavering commitment to connecting artists, particularly those from immigrant and diasporic backgrounds, continues to echo in contemporary art. Embracing Diasporic Art: Portraits of Joan Agajanian Quinn is curated by Ara and Anahid Oshagan.
Panel Discussion is happening Tuesday, April 22, 2025 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Embracing Diasporic Art: Portraits of Joan Agajanian Quinn
Exhibition Dates:
March 22 – May 23, 2025
ReflectSpace / Glendale Central Library
222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205
Phone: (818) 548-2021
Artists in Exhibition:
Ruben Amirian, Vako Armeno, Kalman Aron, Huguette Caland, Pablo Carreño, Silvina Der Meguerditchian, Gregory Wiley Edwards, Elsa Flores Almaraz, Sophia Gasparian, Yolanda González, Nikolas Soren Goodich, Gyurjyan, Chaz Guest, Marc Guiragosian, Chris Hartunian, Zarko Kalmic, Anna Kostanian, Sheku Kowai, Gilbert “Magu” Luján, Joao Machado, Karine Matsakian, Ramon Ramirez, Stuart Rapeport, Jose “Prime” Reza, Samvel Saghatelian, Aram Saroyan, Wayne Shimabukuro, Reinhard Teichmann, Joey Terrill, Connor Tingley, Ruby Vartan, Don Weinstein, Felix Yegazarian, Firooz Zahedi, Zareh, and Hraztan Zeitlian.
ABOUT REFLECTSPACE:
ReflectSpace is curated by Ara and Anahid Oshagan and is an inclusive exhibition gallery designed to explore and reflect on social justice issues, human rights violations and genocides through the arts. Immersive in conception, ReflectSpace is a hybrid space that is both experiential and informative, employing art, technology, and interactive media to reflect on the past and present of Glendale’s communal fabric and interrogate current-day global human rights issues. ReflectSpace is housed in Glendale Central Library and online at ReflectSpace.org.
ABOUT GLENDALE LIBRARY, ARTS & CULTURE:
Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000 square foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate and create. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust (GLACT) GLACT.org. For more information visit GlendaleLAC.org, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at (818) 548-2021 or via email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov.
ABOUT THE CITY OF GLENDALE:
Known as the “Jewel City,” Glendale is the fourth largest city of Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers nearly 50 public parks, and easy access to a municipal airport. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking.
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