GLENDALE — Nairi Bandari’s short documentary called “Restoring the Past” was screened twice on Friday, December 12, and Saturday, December 13, at the Center for Armenian Arts. The film is about a Russian art restorer, Aleksei Tivetsky, and his artist wife Lena Moross. The film screening was accompanied by an exhibition of Lena Moross’ art.
“Restoring the Past” was their university final project for Nairi Bandari and Narek Aghazarian, who studied filmmaking at CSUN (California State University, Northridge). The film screened at the Arpa International Film Festival in Hollywood on November 7th. After the screening, they decided to have an art exhibition and a second screening.
Tivetsky is an art restorer with a rich background across Europe and Russia. He was born in Moscow. He moved to the U.S. in 1978. Then he worked in Italy, mastering the art of restoration from 1985 to 1995, and returned to Los Angeles. This documentary examines the meticulous craftsmanship, the strict code of ethics, and the challenges of restoring damaged masterpieces while staying true to the artist’s original vision. Aleksei’s work for top auction houses worldwide, such as Sotheby’s and Bonhams, showcases the delicate balance between preserving history and restoring it for the future.
Moross was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and studied at the Academy of Art in Leningrad. Moross immigrated to the U.S. in 1974. She spent many hours in the Hermitage Museum studying the masterpieces there. She also studied at the Pasadena Art Center and the prestigious CalArts (California Institute of the Arts). Moross had several art exhibitions in the Los Angeles area.
Bandari, an Armenian from Iran, studied documentary filmmaking and television production. She volunteered in Artsakh and photographed the local scenery and lives. She had a photo exhibition at the Center for Armenian Arts on March 28, 2024.
Aghazarian pitched the idea and did the cinematography. They shot the film in four days, and it took five months to edit. The film professor Judy Korin attended the event and said, “Both Nairi and Narek have exceptional talents. I tell them to continue being creative. Don’t let anything stop you.”
