Termeh Yeghiazarian
Canessa Gallery
708 Montgomery Street
@ Washington & Columbus
October 4-25, 2009
11am - 3pm M-F
Reception
October 23, 5-8pm
October 24, 25
North Beach Art Walk
Or by appointment
www.termehart.com
A collection of mixed media portrait paintings by Termeh Yeghiazarian, recording admired peers who live and work in North Beach.
Artists have lived in North Beach since its early days. They are an integral part of the cultural fabric of the neighborhood.
Who are these artists? What do they do? How do they survive?
List of artwork:
1 - nick
2 - judy
3 - howard
4 - carol
5 - julie
6 - jane
7 - alex
8 - kim
9 - dominic
10 - susan
11 - candace
12 - danny
13 - barron
Artist statement
I use portrait painting as a genre to explore politics of representation. Who and what does a portrait really depict? How much of this depiction is about the observed, how much about the observer, and how much is influenced by the prevailing social/political and economical circumstances?
At the same time, I also appreciate the process as a purely painterly exploit.
Representation is an entirely subjective venture. As an Iranian/Armenian/American, a woman and an artist, I find myself subject to representation on a regular basis. After years of attempting to hack my way through seemingly never ending crop of stereotype and misrepresentation, I am beginning to resign to this fact.
And so, a portrait can be conceived as a mirror: the observer, whether it’s the artist or the viewer, will project in it his or her self. Yet, what remains after the fact is the true intrigue of a portrait, its mystery.
Termeh Yeghiazarian
Comment
Termeh, a San Francisco bay area artist works mainly in mixed media and conceptual art. Her body of work is a visual journey which explores the dichotomy of her cultural background as an Iranian/Armenian/American.
Through portraiture Termeh eliminates the conventional engagement with the subject and viewer. She depicts her portraits from behind or in profile. Her portrait creates a dialogue between identity and representation of her interlocking worlds. It creates a dialogue about diversity, beauty, individuality and anonymity.
In her recent series, Anonymous North Beach, she does a case study of the local artistic community in North Beach. Through each portrayal, Termeh tries to define the social context of the individual, the community and her connection to it all. It’s in searching and investigating of others that we find a connection and contrast in ourselves. -- Nerissa Hallim