News > Jordanian Armenians > Zohrab the royal photographer
Azad-Hye Special
From a young man, who used to be a guitar player in a local band, to Jordan’s King Hussein’s royal photographer, a company and a magazine owner … meet Zohrab Markerian, a proud Armenian and a proud Jordanian.
Born in Amman, Jordan, the son of poor Armenian refugees, Zohrab grew up with his brother and sister in a very humble neighborhood. He lost his father when he was 12 and had to leave school and find a job to improve his living conditions. Thanks to his hard work, he was able to earn a decent living and he succeeded to go up all the way to the royal palace!
Azad-Hye had the following interview with him:
Can you tell us about the main phases of your life, and how you reached the royal palace?
I used to play the guitar in a band called “The Believers”. The cream of the society always came to listen to our band perform songs by the Beetles. Later, I decided to learn photography like my brother and together we opened a photographic studio, which, thanks to the support of our fans, was a success.
One thing led to another, and in 1973 during an exhibition by a British photographer -held under Queen Alia’s auspices - I suggested that she allow me to have my own exhibition under her patronage to show her the country depicted through the eyes of an Armenian-Jordanian. The answer was yes; It took me months to prepare for it but when I was ready, she was thrilled and more than supportive. The same year she announced a competition among Jordanian photographers to present photos of Jordan. I won, and the prize was to become the King’s Royal photographer! What great honor!
King Hussein sent me to New York to specialize in photography. I completed the two-year course successfully and returned with several prizes and an honor certificate. I accompanied the King in each of his private and official trips; I traveled around the world taking his photos. I have even been to the White House five times, whenever the king went to congratulate a new US president.
What about your relations with the current King Abdullah?
After King Hussein passed away, I kept in touch with king Abdullah, whom I started to photograph when he was only eight. Like his father, he is a great man who strives to achieve the best for his country.
I have made seven different photo albums about the King and Jordan with its tourist attractions which are now presented by the King to his guests, as souvenirs.
We have seen copies of “I Celebrating Jordan” magazine. How did it come to life and what kind of articles does it include?
Along the way I have always dreamed of running my own magazine, something which became a reality in year 2005.
We naturally write about Jordan, tourism, art and culture. We give a positive image of the country, and the magazine is distributed in all five-star-hotels. Besides the mainstream Jordanian topics, we always include articles and photos about Armenians and Armenia, about Karabakh and April 24th. I had the opportunity to go to Artsakh (Karabakh) in 1994 and took photos of the war. At that time, the Church of Shushi was bombarded and there were tragic scenes everywhere.
Living all those years in close connection with the royal palace, is there a particular incident you recall?
I recall an incident when King Hussein and I met with a photographer from France who turned out to be Armenian as well, but couldn’t speak Armenian, the King’s comment was: “What good can a man be to his nation if he doesn’t speak the language!” Yes, He was a man who taught me a lot, and whatever I do, I will not be able to compensate for all that he and his family have done to the Jordanian Armenians in general and me in particular.
What is your message to Armenians?
Live in harmony with the nation that has welcomed you. Do not hold any negative attitude towards it, because if you are not good for the country you live in, then you are good for nothing.
END OF INTRVIEW (Text prepared by Nanor Mikayelian)
Photography in Jordan was not much known in the past, but with the help of sophisticated people like the Late king Hussein and his son King Abdullah and some hard work by names like Zohrab and other Jordanian colleagues, the concept of photography has changed and it became one of the most appreciated arts in modern times.
ADDITIONAL READING
Books and Publications by Zohrab:
King and Country 1985
Jordan - Land for All Seasons 1988
Jewels of the Crown 1989
Kingdom of Peace 1995
King Hussein 1999
Dawn of a New Century 2000
Jordan in the Eyes of Saraya 2005
Amman 2007
“I Celebrating Jordan” Magazine
“I Celebrating Jordan” magazine announced the launch of its first issue on 31st of July 2005, at a colorful event held at the Kempenski Hotel in Amman. The magazine is a unique concept, with content, and photography that describes and examines the many different facets of Jordan in a creative and insightful manner. One of the important features, in this young and state-of-the-art magazine, is the showcasing of the rich talent of the internally renowned, award winning photographer Zohrab, portraying through his images, a voyage of discovery of Jordan - a land filled with history and untapped potential.
Official website of Zohrab: http://www.zohrab.net/
Email: info@zohrab.net
To purchase any of the photos featured in the website, please contact melissa@zohrab.net
Jordan through the eyes of Zohrab: http://www.zohrab.net/jor.html
Zohrab images available for sale: http://www.zohrabimages.com/
Photos:
1) Zohrab Markerian in his office.
2) Cover of April 2006 issue of "I Celebrating Jordan" which was dedicated to the Armenians.
The above article is sponsored by Hratch Brunsuzian (UAE) as part of Sponsor an Article project.
