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• Narine Arakelyan (Russia/Armenia)
  Public performative action
  Venice, Italy

Artist Narine Arakelian reenacts one of the Armenian revolution’s most unique forms of protest – the ‘Cast Iron Pots and Pans’ initiative. This undertaking saw women, from all walks of life, opening their windows at 11:00 p.m., every night of the Armenina revolution, banging pots and pans together, en masse, all throughout Yerevan, and other major cities of the country. Arakelian recreates this moment along the streets and canals of Venice involving over 50 female volunteers. Notably, the artist delves into the role of women in the revolution – whose determined efforts, radical undertakings, acts of courage, and innovativeness were paramount to its success.

Narine Arakelian is an artist whose works represent a synthesis of visual and performing arts, using the newest digital technologies. Social justice and gender issues are key subjects of her artistic research. She has graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the Surikov State Institute in Moscow. For the period of 2015-2016, Arakelian received an internship at the Digital Arts Department of Los Angeles Academy of Fine Arts. Arakelian has participated in different international exhibitions within the 57th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia (2017), Manifesta XII (2018) as well as had a series of personal exhibitions in Moscow, New York, and Venice. Arakelian’s public performance titled ‘Cast Iron Post and Pans’ is part of the Pavilion of Armenia at the 58th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia (2019). She is a general member of the Russian Union of Artists. Her works are kept in private collections in England, France, Greece, USA, Switzerland, and Russia.