Photo Kegham of Gaza : an unmade archive

A major figure in photography in Gaza in the mid-20th century, Kegham Djeghalian Senior (1915–1981) documented the city and its inhabitants for nearly 40 years. Survivor of the Armenian genocide, he founded Gaza’s first professional photography studio in 1944 : Photo Kegham.

This exhibition, organized around four thematic sections, has been conceived by his grandson Kegham Djeghalian Junior—an artist and educator— who brings this legacy to life whilst exploring the concept of ‘interrupted stories.’ In 2018, he discovered three red boxes hidden at the back of a cupboard at his father’s home in Cairo. Filled with negatives, documents, and family mementos, they reveal not only his grandfather’s life but also bear witness to a broader memory of Gaza.

Kegham Djeghalian Sr, Auto-portrait de Kegham Djeghalian Sr avec ses enfants, Gaza, c.1952 - Courtesy of the artist and Polyptyque.