The Work
My work is pieced together with the thread of my Armenian family and its traditions. I weave history and heritage, where fragments of cloth with printed imagery reference the act of storytelling. While my work is driven by personal motivations it speaks to our universal desire for a connection with our past, and a need to understand our history. I am drawn to Armenian folktales to further my own story as folklore speaks to our shared cultures, customs, and past.
In the artwork, I integrate Armenian proverbs with old family photographs, contemporary images, and my own animal characters. I use the stitch as line to draw ideas together and create a literal and metaphorical map among the work. Sewing is an integral part of creation because it combines the past work of my family with their current practices. The fabric the work is printed on is also a physical representation of this family, and their love of quilts.
As I delve into my process, I often return to a quote by author William Saroyan. In speaking of the resilience of the Armenian people to retain our cultural heritage, he says,
“Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing, and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia."
I am seeking to reestablish this connection.
In the artwork, I integrate Armenian proverbs with old family photographs, contemporary images, and my own animal characters. I use the stitch as line to draw ideas together and create a literal and metaphorical map among the work. Sewing is an integral part of creation because it combines the past work of my family with their current practices. The fabric the work is printed on is also a physical representation of this family, and their love of quilts.
As I delve into my process, I often return to a quote by author William Saroyan. In speaking of the resilience of the Armenian people to retain our cultural heritage, he says,
“Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing, and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia."
I am seeking to reestablish this connection.
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