Artist Story & Philosophy

During the war in Artsakh, I turned my attention to activism, creating an online platform to raise awareness on the violence and experiences Armenian communities in Artsakh (receiving little international attention) were facing. It was a pivotal moment in my life, one that expanded my understanding of the power and responsibility of having a creative voice.

When the war ended, I struggled with a profound sense of helplessness. I began painting as a way of processing what I was witnessing. Parallel to the 44-day war led by Azerbaijan (suicide drone-driven, backed by Turkey), a strategic digital terror campaign had been set in place. This affected Armenians and community members of all ages globally. Writing and painting centered around our language and cultural symbols brought unity and comfort for our mourning community.

What began as a personal response to grief gradually became a way of connecting with others. Through painting, writing, sketch comedy, and collaborations with fellow Armenian creatives, I found myself part of a community determined to preserve our culture and to imagine a thriving future for it.

Creating art became increasingly important and urgent. As the displacement and suffering of Armenians from Artsakh continued, I wanted to acknowledge the pain and injustice while taking back the authority on the stories we were hearing and being told about ourselves. Through vibrant colour and playful compositions, I began exploring the possibility of holding grief and joy together in bodies of work highlighting real stories from the war. 

Painting is breaking through into an open and expansive new world. It gives a language to the human existence, one that we all relate to. I hold to the belief that things can be different and that we are not limited to the realities we inherit. Through my work, I explore the possibility of our experience of life in this changing world to be a hopeful and courageous one.

My work moves between the familiar and the imagined, bringing together fragments of landscapes, botanical scenes, cultural references, and vibrant colour to create worlds that feel personal and open to wide interpretation.

I encounter the possibility of renewal and the promise of hope through painting. Every viewer is invited into this place where a sense of wonder, curiosity and the possibility of a beautiful future exist.