Onnig J. "Cavouk" Cavoukian (born 1945) is a Canadian-Armenian photographer.[1]

Onnig Cavoukian
Born
Onnig J. Cavoukian

1945 (age 78–79)
Other namesCavouk
CitizenshipCanadian
OccupationPhotographer
Relatives

Life and career edit

Born in Cairo in 1945[2] to ethnic Armenian parents Artin and Lucie Cavoukian, Onnig Cavoukian moved with his family from Cairo to Canada in 1958.[3][4] He is the brother of the well-known Canadian children's entertainer Raffi and of Ann Cavoukian, the former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.[5][6]

Onnig Cavoukian followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Ohanness Cavoukian and his father Artin in becoming a portrait photographer.[5][7] His grandfather escaped Turkey during the Armenian genocide, moving to Egypt. His family moved to Toronto after the 1952 abdication of Farouk of Egypt.[1]


During his career, Cavouk's subjects included Indira Gandhi, the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Oscar Peterson, Pierre and Margaret Trudeau, Leonid Brezhnev, Patrick Macnee, Hubert Humphrey, and Pat Nixon.[5][8]

Three Canadian stamps have been made from portraits by Cavouk, of Roland Michener, Maureen Forrester, and Sam McLaughlin respectively.[5][9]

After spending most of his adult life in Toronto, Cavouk moved in April 2006 to Winona, Ontario, on a property next to Fifty Point Conservation Area.[8][10][1] He now lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Taylor, Bill (March 2, 2006). "Photographic memories; Onnig Cavoukian is the man of a thousand stories and has souvenirs of each, Bill Taylor reports". Toronto Star. pp. J1, J6. ProQuest 1348815709.
  2. ^ "University of Calgary Libraries, Special Collections Division, Occasional Paper No. 10: Onnig CAVOUKIAN (born 1945)".
  3. ^ Belian, G., 1982. Noted Photographer Cavouk Is Honored in Canada. Armenian Reporter International (1967-1988), p.4.
  4. ^ "DOUBLE EXPOSURE Two Family Portraits, Canada's Giants of Photography". AGBU | Armenian non-profit organization. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Bourret, Suzanne (January 22, 2008). "Cavouk of Winona: Life through the lens". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  6. ^ Bourret, Suzanne (January 15, 2008). "They see the jewel that is Hamilton". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on July 18, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  7. ^ "Sharing a passion for photography". NiagaraThisWeek.com. May 7, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Rosts, Scott (April 20, 2007). "Stamp of approval". Niagara This Week. Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  9. ^ Rosts, Scott (April 20, 2007). "Stamp of approval". NiagaraThisWeek.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  10. ^ Rosts, Scott (May 12, 2006). "Photographer inspired by his new surroundings". NiagaraThisWeek.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.

External links edit