During the pandemic, artist She Loves Collective created a three-room pop-up exhibit on Artsakh Avenue through a grant from the city of Glendale, California News Times reports.
MY RELIC is a contemporary view on the Armenian culture through the lens of female artists.
According to organizers, each exhibit explores the ‘ability to heal, move forward, and grow through a variety of themes broadly construed as relics.’
It is designed to honor Armenian women and ancestors through Lavash, a major component of their culture.
“Looking at these things in this room, these memories are attached to your ancestors, to your family, to your mother,” she said.
UNESCO recognized the preparation, meaning and appearance of bread as a cultural expression of Armenia.
“It’s universal and I don’t have to be Armenian. I can feel the bread no matter where I come from. No matter who I am,” Bagdasarian said.
Baghdassarian said people were deeply moved when they visited. “There are many stories, people are crying, people are remembering stories,” she said.
“It’s like stepping into the illusion of food and lavash. My first thought was i forgot to bring cheese’,” said Armine Juraghatspanyan. “Like most Armenian families, Lavash is the staple food of our home,” she added.
“Literally, we worked day and night to make this happen,” said Bagdasarian.
The exhibit is dedicated to the soldiers and families of the recent war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Thousands of people died in the 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020.
