Michelle Andonian
Michelle has been telling powerful stories for more than 30 years through her award-winning still photographs and her videos that possess the heart and soul of documentaries. No matter what the medium is, Michelle’s work connects with viewers in powerful, lasting ways.
As a producer, director and photographer, she has spent the past decade photographing children’s philanthropic programs around the world. The corporate-sponsored work has partnered with organizations such as UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity, Operation Smile, EasterSeals, and other grass roots programs.
Her most personal work, telling the stories of Armenian Genocide survivors as well as the 1988 earthquake, has resulted in several trips to Armenia. Among Michelle’s other credits are pieces for The Henry Ford Museum’s OnInnovation education program, which involved photographing and producing a series that documented the work of American innovators. She has also done work with The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Gleaners Food Bank, and The Community Foundation.
With a resume full of intensely creative projects that include books, videos and exhibitions, Michelle’s work is marked by originality and a deep understanding of the human condition. Her strength in uncovering what’s best and distinctive in people makes her a much sought after resource.
As a fine arts professional and educator, Michelle’s editorial work has appeared in newspapers and magazines worldwide. The excellence of her advertising and commercial work has brought her assignments from leading agencies and corporations. She was a photo editor at The Washington Post Magazine and a senior editor at Detroit Monthly. She started her career 30 years ago as a staff photographer at the Detroit News, where she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Michelle studied at The College for the Creative Studies in Detroit as well as the International Center for Photography. Her photographs are in the permanent collection of The Detroit Institute of Arts, The Henry Ford Museum, The Grand Rapids Art Museum as well as public and private collections worldwide.
Photographer Michelle Andonian traveled to the historic land of the Armenians to chase the ghosts of her ancestors. Her grandmother was a survivor of the Armenian genocide in 1915, the first genocide of the 20th century. Retracing her grandmother’s path, Andonian discovered the churches and homes that Armenians were forced to leave over 100 years ago. She eventually arrived in the now landlocked country that remains, proudly, Armenia. However, this small nation is a shadow of the former glory of the Armenian Empire.
Andonian has traveled to Armenia on several occasions, and her most recent trip in summer 2019 was supported in part by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in service of this exhibition. The newest works from the series have been acquired by FWMoA and are now part of the museum’s permanent collection.
This exhibition is sponsored by Tazian Enterprises in Honor of Naomi Tazian, and numerous donors through the 2019 FWMoA Annual Fund. This exhibition is curated by Lauren Wolfer of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. This film was produced by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art and Zero Seven Films.
"Hope Dies Last: The New Armenia - Photographs by Michelle Andonian" was on display at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art from March 14 - September 27, 2020.