Nearly 10 years ago, ArtCenter Alumna, Ani Gevorgian was a student in our Human Rights Public Education Exhibition studio taught by Martha Rich and Esther Pearl Watson. Her award winning “Equality is Freedom” poster design was shown at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris, the Pasadena Central Library, the Skirball Cultural Center and the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan. In commemoration of Universal Human Rights day this year, Ani Gevorgian has curated a group show in collaboration with Armenian Arts in Glendale. She shares her process and the inspiration behind the project, in this candid blog post…
Hello, my name is Ani Gevorgian and I am an ArtCenter Alumni.
Art speaks louder than words by breaking the barriers of language, distance and culture, and by creating a bridge to universal understanding and peace.
I grew up in Middle East, before moving to Europe and finally to the United States. As an artist having lived in three continents and amongst vastly different cultures, I gained a very close understanding of the world’s diversity which helped enormously to realize that the world is full of differences and colors, and also that our planet is not always fair, sunny and bright.
I witnessed and heard of many cases of gender inequality, racial inequality, religious inequality, and other issues concerning Human Rights; not only in the Middle East, but in Europe and United States as well. These issues are present across the world, and appear in different shapes and forms. But one thing was always certain for me, and that was my growing passion to contribute to the Human Rights using Art.
It wasn’t until I attended the ArtCenter Designmatters/Human Rights class in 2008, that I realized that this was where I needed to be all along. During this class, we created 25 posters with the theme of “Human Rights” that eventually made their way to be presented at the Unesco building in Paris, France for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Ever since then, I’ve been thinking about organizing an art show and dedicating it to this theme that is very close to my heart. So this year I got introduced to another artist whose work titled: “Syrian Refugee Children”, brought tears in my eyes. I immediately invited her and two other artists to join to in this cause and so the “Sleeping Sun” was born.
“Sleeping Sun” – “When Justice Sleeps, Anarchy Awakens” is a group art show dedicated to the Universal Human Rights Day, happening on December 8 – 10. December 10 is the Universal Day of Human Rights.
I am certain this isn’t the last time I am curating a group art show. As a matter of fact I am already planning my next step in making a difference; however small it may be compared to this enormously wonderful but wounded ball; our Planet!
Peace,
– Ani Gevorgian
Contact Ani directly here to learn more about her work.