THE PHAROS FLOWER – Narine Arakelian
curated by Pier Paolo Scelsi
Venezia, Corte Contarini del Bovolo
10 May 2019 – 25 August 2019
This May, the world’s leading female Armenian contemporary artist Narine Arakelian, will both headline the Armenia Pavilion for the 58th Venice Biennale and launch a striking new exhibition, The Pharos Flower at the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, one of Venice’s most iconic landmarks. The Pharos Flower is part of the CITY OF VENICE’s official programme of events for the 58th Biennale, marking the second time that Narine has appeared at the Biennale and follows her critically acclaimed installation at Manifesta 12, 2018.
Curated by Pier Paolo Scelsi (ITA), The Pharos Flower exhibition and installation will see Narine transform the iconic 15th century spiral staircase of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo into a striking multi-coloured lighthouse. The Pharos Lighthouse will project colourful rays of light from the top floor of the Scala, creating a spectacular light installation that will be visible across the city’s iconic skyline. The installation aims to play on our idea of perception and time with the Lighthouse becoming a singular moment linking the past, present and future.
The exhibition will continue inside the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo where Narine will present a series of her distinctive coloured fabrics and multicoloured glass pieces, crafted at the famous Studio Abate Zanetti on the island of Murano in Venice. Narine will also create an installation and performance around Tintoretto’s gargantuan painting “Bozzetto del Paradiso” continuing the juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary art that runs throughout the exhibition. As part of the exhibition Narine will give a performance of “The Bloom”, a performance work that will see her transform into a symbol of an ancient marble statue. During the performance Narine will pass through the exhibition rooms discarding elements of her costume until there is nothing left.
Narine Arakelian has also been selected to launch the official opening of the Armenian Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale. On 9th May, Narine will give a one-time-only performance of her performance work titled “Revolutionary Sensorium”, curated by Susanna Gyulamiryan. The piece is an exploration of the revolutionary events of the ‘Velvet Revolution’ that took place in Armenia in Spring 2018 uniting civilians through their slogan of ‘solidarity and love’.
The performance will take place at 5pm on 9th May at the Armenian Pavilion 2019 which is situated at the Collegio Armeno Moorat.
Internationally recognised as a multi-sensual contemporary artist, at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017, Narine was invited to exhibit her large-scale installation, “L’Illusion du Marriage” inside Venice’s historic building the Scuola Grande di San Rocco home of the Tintoretto masterpieces. The piece combined installation with contemporary performances across the city, with a finale at the magnificent Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
The artwork of Narine Arakelian is a synthesis of plastic and performing arts involving new digital technologies. Narine uses the intersection of sculpture, painting, multimedia and performing arts to question social freedom and gender identity.
BIOGRAPHY
Narine Arakelian was born in Siberia on May 13, 1979. Graduated from the celebrated State Surikov Institute, Moscow in 2015, where she studied fine art under the tutelage of Aidan Salakhova, Sergey Ossovsky and Yuri Shishkov.
Completed a year long internship at the Digital Arts Department at the Los Angeles Academy in 2016. Joined the Moscow Union of Artists in 2015, a full member of the Union of Russian Artists from 2016. Narine Arakelyan’s works are in private collections in England, France, Greece, USA, Switzerland, Russia.
MAJOR EXHIBITIONS
2018
Palermo
Manifesta XII
Programme “5x5x5”
Solo show “Glasses”
Curator Dorian Batychka
2018
Moscow
Museum of Moscow
Solo show and performance “Through the light”
Curator Dorian Batychka
2018
New York
Skylight Clarkson North
Exhibition and performance
Curator Jeff Koons
Naked Hearts Charity Exhibition
2017
Venice
Solo show
Curator Anton Levahin
Biennale of Art 2017
Scuola Grande di San Rocco and followed exhibition in the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
2014
Moscow
Group show “Architechtonica: Megapolis in the at works”
Shchusev Museum of Architecture
2012
Moscow
Group Show
Curator Aidan Salakhova
Centre of Contemporary Art “Vinzavod”
2011
Moscow
Curator Narine Arakelyan
Solo show “Apocalipsis 1”
