Anna Boghiguian

Sometimes unexpectedly the present meets the past

ExhibitionIVAM Centre Julio González

This is the first monographic exhibition by Anna Boghiguian (Cairo, 1946) in Spain. In her work, the Egyptian-Canadian artist of Armenian origin explores the historical, economic, social and political impact of certain events of the past in the present. Boghiguian employs the image as a form of writing and writing as image to unfold a way of thinking and a poetics committed with the world; visual essays that show the sustained impact of political history and economic conditions in the contemporary world.

To the artist’s way of thinking, colonialism is like a hinge moment that ushered in a profound radical change in articulating human relationships with the world, however much her images are drawn from her experience, from the personal encounter with certain places and objects that provoke an emotional and cognitive response. Boghiguian transforms these experiences into artist books, drawings, paintings, cut-outs, collages and installations.

Widely considered one of the most interesting contemporary artists of our time, Boghiguian has had solo shows at SMAK, Ghent (2020); Tate St. Ives, (2019); New Museum, New York (2018); Castello di Rivoli, Turin (2017); Carré d’Art, Nîmes (2016). Her work has been seen at documenta 13 in Kassel and in the biennials of Sharja (2011), Sao Paulo (2014), Istanbul (2015), Santa Fe (2016) and Sydney (2020). She received, together with other Armenian artists, the Golden Lion for her contribution to the Armenian Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015).

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