An intersection in East Watertown will be named in honor of an Armenian artist who made his home in Watertown for several years.
On Tuesday, the City Council voted to name the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Hazel Street for Arshile Gorky.
The City of Watertown’s website includes the following details of his life: “After surviving the 1915 Armenian genocide and its aftermath, Gorky arrived in Watertown in February 1920 as part of a third wave of Armenians immigrants arriving in the United States to escape persecution. He lived in Watertown with his sisters until late 1924 to early 1925, when he moved to New York City. Gorky’s impact on art history and his continued influence on contemporary art cannot be overstated. Watertown has long been a haven for Armenian immigrants and the East End of Watertown, where Gorky lived, is proud to be the home of several Armenian art and cultural organizations. ”
The request to name the intersection for Gorky came from members of a working group for the “100 Years of Arshile Gorky” celebration. The Working Group includes Watertown’s Public Arts & Culture Planner Liz Helfer, resident Jack Dargon, and representatives of the Armenian Museum of America, the Mosesian Center for the Arts and the Historical Society of Watertown.
The proposal first went to the Council’s Committee on Public Works on Feb. 3, which voted 3-0 in support of naming the intersection for Gorky.
During the committee meeting, Helfer said the proposal is to mark the intersection with a pole and plaque similar to those used to name an intersection for a veteran. Gorky would also be honored with two plaques placed near the homes where he and his family lived while they were in Watertown (86 Dexter Ave. and 14 Coolidge Hill Road), Helfer told the Public Works Committee.
When the proposal first came to the Council in October 2024, the location of the plaque was at Artsakh Street and Elton Avenue, but after receiving feedback from the Armenian community it was changed to Dexter and Hazel, which they said was more appropriate, according to the committee report.
Members of the Public Works Committee had some concerns that the request did not align with the City’s Naming Policy for Squares and Intersections for Non-Veterans. The Committee report notes that were other concerns, but the Public Works Committee ultimately supported the proposal.
“In addition there was concern that Mr. Gorky’s stay in Watertown was very short and there are other luminaries who have connections with Watertown. However, Mr. Gorky’s national reputation in the arts community qualified him for an intersection in his name,” the report reads.
The City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 11 to name the section of Dexter Avenue and Hazel Street for Arshile Gorky.
The 100 Years of Arshile Gorky celebration includes a mural on the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway, an exhibition and movie screening at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, a curated collection on Gorky at the Watertown Library, a guided walk, and a self-guided tour. Click here for more information.