Raison d’être
2019/20
atelier view
materials: silk, wick cord, metal
dimensions: 280 x 110cm
Raison d’être, 2019/20
exhibition view
Part of the group exhibition BANG at CC Vleeshaak, Antwerp, BE
14 - 24/10/21
The work Raison d‘être originates from Gyumri, Armenia's second-largest city. In 2019, I took part in a research project focused on an area on the outskirts of Gyumri. Following a catastrophic earthquake in 1988, the Soviet Union initiated the construction of apartment blocks for citizens who had lost their homes. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the construction was halted. Consequently, the site turned into an abandoned area featuring remarkable Soviet architecture that altered and fell apart over time.
Within our research group, we explored and debated potential futures for this part of the city. It was crucial for me to comprehend how the site was presently being utilized. Engaging with people became my primary objective and a starting point for contemplating architecture and urban planning.
Alongside studying the intersections and "immaterial interconnections" with the place, I also focused on material pieces, particularly industrial waste accumulating between the apartment blocks. I felt compelled to collect some of these materials. The metal parts possessed distinctive shapes yet were indefinable in their function. When incorporated into my work, they regained functionality and found a new purpose, securing the white wick cord in place through interlocking. In this way, two layers of green silk were joined, giving rise to a soft wall that conveys notions of interconnection, attachment, structure, and fluidity. Additionally, it echoes the concept of a (decorative) pattern formed through the repetition of the same shapes—a central stylistic element present in Armenian architecture and culture.