Portfolio
This is Not My Home
Yerevan, Armenia
An exploration into the artists identity, Kazandjian revisits her "Motherland" in hopes of feeling a sense of belonging and home. Unfortunately, to this day, she has yet to pin an identity to herself. To help her define and carve that word for herself Kazandjian has created a three part photo series in which she attempts to do just that.
She has just returned from Yerevan completing the second part of this series where she documented her aunts first time in the "Motherland". She will debuting both parts in Los Angeles, California in the Summer of 2022.
Below are images from Part One.
Instalations
Historias Del Embargo
Vinales, Cuba
This project was inspired by the artist's research of the US embargo and its effects on the lives of Cubans, and by her father's love of Cuban cigars.
This multimedia performance piece took place at a tobacco farm in Pinar del Rio. It includes footage of Pierre Salinger, JFK's Head of Press, boasting to other members of congress about securing cigars for the president before signing the embargo. While this video plays on loop, a lector begins reading statements by Cuban people of their thoughts and experiences with the embargo. At the same time Kazandjian etches these words onto a tobacco leaf. The leaf was then rolled into a cigar by the owner of the farm.
This performance piece was debuted as an installation at Plaza De La Raza in Los Angeles.
The cigar remains with the artist in Los Angeles, California.
