Anna Boghiguian on Weaving Armenia
“The gift of being alive is developing a garden in oneself,” the Armenian-Egyptian artist told Hyperallergic, “and to move towards heaven.”
YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenian-Egyptian artist Anna Boghiguian has just unveiled her new exhibition, "Weaving Culture," at the National Gallery of Armenia. The exhibit showcases the artist's unique interpretation of Armenian nature, illustrated through a series of carpet-sized works.
The first act of the exhibition focuses on the country's mountainous terrain, with massive peaks rendered in blues, browns, and purples. A massive red sun dominates the landscape, flanked by two red and grayish peaks separated by a valley-like expanse.
The second act shifts focus to Armenia's vibrant flora, featuring trees and plants with large, blooming red flowers. The human figure in "Man with Pomegranate and Snake" is accompanied by the ubiquitous storks that are prevalent in Boghiguian's work.
The third act is a collection of large tapestries that evoke the essence of nature, with sinuous lines and undulating shapes that bear resemblance to the landscapes of Arshile Gorky. The expansive use of pastel colors and stylized imagery in these works create a new form of visual storytelling, which the curator, Nairi Khatchadourian, terms as the invention of the "watercolor carpet."
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