The Artful Exile
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A torn rug, stitched back together, became a map for reunion. Marie Khediguian explores the role of Azad Archives in connecting the Armenian diaspora through digital storytelling. Inspired by a century-old rug torn and later reunited by Armenian sisters, she reflects on how art and culture serve as a bridge for dispersed Armenians. Azad Archives, a bilingual platform, preserves Armenian history and amplifies marginalized voices, fostering global connections. Like diaspora newspapers before it, the platform builds solidarity through shared narratives, ensuring Armenian identity endures despite displacement.
Failing Towards Brilliance is a personal reflection on the emotional and creative challenges of painting my late mother. Inspired by Arshile Gorky’s decade-long struggle with The Artist and His Mother, I document how grief, memory, and perfectionism shaped this project. What began as an attempt to loosen up artistically became a deep reckoning with failure, identity, and love. This piece explores how process, not product, can be the real act of honoring.