BOSTON — On November 9, the Modern Art Museum of Yerevan (MAMY) will launch an installation titled “Palimpsest: A History in Drawers,” showcasing works by Boston-based painter Varteni.
In the early 1980s, Henrik Igityan, founder of MAMY, was at Harvard University for a lecture. Varteni and Igityan met at that time and the latter visited the artist’s studio and applauded her work and invited her to come to Armenia for an exhibition.
Now, decades later, this dream is being realized.
Before the MAMY show, the installation will be shown at the Berlin Art Hotel, Gallery 25, Gyumri, on October 20.
“Palimpsest: A History in Drawers” is a reimaging of a time just a few steps back, before the digital reshaping of modern times and a time when memories had a hard-copy extension tucked away in a drawer somewhere in a corner of the house. As the artist puts it, “This is an art installation expressing some moments of my remembrance, remembrance of separation and distance, letters form loved ones tucked away in a drawer and then years later found and read with longing. A moment for now …” The “now” that Varteni mentions is the question that the installation asks. Are we making any “hard copies” of our memories and leaving them behind ins some drawer, somewhere?
The Berlin Art Hotel show will take place October 20 to November 4, with the opening reception on October 20, 6 p.m. and feature a performance by Hasmik and Alec Harutyunyan.
