Charles Aznavour’s 100th Anniversary Celebration: Roger Kasparian
This exhibition is an initiative co-organized by the Embassies of Armenia and France in Kuwait, featuring photographs of Charles Aznavour (1924 – 2018) by French-Armenian photographer, Roger Kasparian (1938 – 2024).
Roger Kasparian called himself a photographer by birth. He was part of a generation that learned the profession on the job. In the 1960’s, he photographed the rising stars of the era; Johnny Hallyday, Jacques Brel, Sylvie Vartan, Dalida, Charles Aznavour, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk, Fats Domino… to name just a few.
Kasparian has exhibited his photos in numerous countries and today his photographs of Charles Aznavour are being rediscovered across the world as part of the celebrations dedicated to Aznavour’s 100th anniversary.
Kasparian took more than a thousand photos of Aznavour capturing the passion of the artist on stage and in life throughout several decades. The two men met in the 1960’s when Aznavour was a rising star in France and later worldwide. The friendship and respect they had for each other is recognizable in the vibrant energy captured by Kasparian’s lens. These two great artists shared much more than their common origins. Both were born in Paris, were self-taught autodidacts, passionate about culture, curious about everything and ardent hard workers.
Kasparian’s photos honor Charles Aznavour’s legacy and allow the public to immerse in his world. A global citizen by heart, Aznavour composed and interpreted more than 1200 songs in 9 languages. He is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time and an icon of 20th-century pop culture.