Sexy fashion shoot at ruined cathedral draws protest from Armenians

The Cathedral of Ani

By Sandy Smith
2011-02-01

A Turkish fashion magazine has staged a sexy photo shoot on the grounds of a historic ruined Armenian church, sparking outrage and protest from Armenians worldwide.

The church, the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, was one of the centerpieces of the ancient Armenian capital Ani, which today lies on the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Armenia. The ruined cathedral has served in recent years as a flashpoint for nationalist sentiments on both sides of the border, with Armenian Christians protesting the site’s neglect and secularization and Turkish nationalists holding Islamic prayer services in the structure.

The fashion shoot, which was published in the December issue of Elle Turkey, featured Polish fashion models Ana Zalewska and Karolin Machova modeling furs, print dresses, and other high fashion items amid the rubble on the grounds and the surviving remains of the cathedral.

The shoot has reopened old wounds among the Armenian diaspora, which renewed accusations of official neglect on the part of the Turks. One commenter on the Fashion Gone Rogue website, which posted photos of the shoot, offered a bill of particulars in response:

“Being one of the native peoples of these lands, Armenians have created many cultural monuments over the course of the centuries. Most of these monuments in (what is now [the]) Turkish Republic (especially in its eastern parts) are in shabby condition.

“The term ‘cultural genocide’ frequently used today applies well to the Armenian cultural heritage on the territory of Turkey. The official state has had an ill-disposed attitude towards these monuments: this is evidenced by the policy implemented with regard to them:

* Left without care, Armenian historical monuments dilapidated over time.
* The ownership of Armenian churches was transferred to the local Muslim population who use them as they wish.
* Citing the interests of the state as an excuse, historical monuments are destroyed, e.g. they are used as shooting targets during war games.
* Armenian churches are turned into mosques,

…and now used as background for fashion photography…”

While stopping short of calling the photo shoot an act of sacrilege, the French Armenian activist group Collectif VAN (Vigilance Arménienne contre le Négationnisme – Armenian Vigilance Against Denial) decried the action as at the very least bad taste.

The Turkish and Armenian governments have in recent years attempted to reach a common understanding on the significance of and responsibility for the Armenian genocide of 1915, an act the Turks to this day officially deny as having taken place. Memories of the massacre remain fresh in Armenian historical memory, however, and are often invoked in protests such as this.

Known in its heyday as the “City of 1,001 Churches,” Ani was established as a defensive fortress in the 5th century AD. In 961, King Ashot III established the city as the capital of the kingdom of Armenia, and the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin was built 40 years later by the noted Armenian architect Trdat. Turkish invaders sacked the city in the early 11th century, and the city has lain abandoned and in ruins since. In a move intended as a goodwill gesture, the Turkish government permitted an Armenian religious youth group to hold a prayer service at a nearby monastery on Lake Van in September of last year; in response to the move, a right-wing nationalist Turkish party staged Friday prayer services in the Ani cathedral in October, also with Turkish government approval.

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