The subjects interviewed for Underground Rhode Island were selected, among many possibilities, for several reasons. The eldest were likely to have been part or the "hip" scene around jazz and the Celebrity Club of the 1950s. More than a few had a connection with AS220 and its circle, at some time in the past. And the youngest members have been active in the Rhode Island arts scene, in one way or another, during the last twenty years or so. Not all are either "lost" or "unknown"; some of them have long been prominent. And yet they represent a self-consciously offbeat take on the mainstream culture of Middle America. They are "underground" even when "overground," part of a world more recognizable to Allen Ginsberg (or Bruce Springsteen) than the people in the White House or Wall Street. And they were intriguing to the students who chose to interview them.
You may expect to find a photo--not necessarily from the recent past--a short biography, a recording of the subject's own voice, a verbatim transcript of the interview, and links to related materials. Not all these are present for each interview--some are still being gathered (or recovered)--but they definitely represent a sense of a life and creative work within that life.
In his interview, George Manyan tells the story of his uncle, Karnig Nalbandian, who was born in 1916 and was known for his visual art. Encouraged by a teacher at Classical High School, Nalbandian became a visual artist. He worked in a wide variety of media, from wood carving to watercolors to etching, but he considered oil painting his most serious art form. In addition to his art work, Nalbandian was locally known for his contribution to the social scene. Various visiting musicians (such as Louis Armstrong) were known to attend parties at his extravagantly decorated house.
© 2005