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Jackie Kazarian

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Jackie Kazarian
Born
Jackie Kazarian

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityArmenian
EducationSchool of the Art Institute of Chicago
Alma materDuke University
Known forPainting, video art, installation art

Jackie Kazarian (Armenian: Ջեքի Ղազարյան), is an American painter, video artist, and installation artist of Armenian descent.

Life

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Ancestors

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Kazarian's grandfathers, Abram Bedrosian (Adana) and Kazar Kazarian (Tadem), both left Western Armenia before 1915. They were from Sivas, Marash, Tadem and Adana. Kazarian's grandmother was Mariam Betlezian, and her father was a linguist professor and was taken and killed by Ottoman soldiers.[1][2] Mariam's mother feared that her teen daughter would be abducted and/or enslaved, so placed her in an orphanage before she fled with her younger children.[2] Mariam eventually left the orphanage to become an immigrant bride to Kazar Kazarian[2] and lived her life in Waukegan, Illinois.

Kazarian's other grandmother, Elmas Shahinian, was well-educated and came from a wealthy family in Sivas.[1] Her grandfather owned a flour mill in Sivas, and lived with 22 family members and servants in a house that is now a post office. When the home was confiscated by Ottoman soldiers, most of her family members were killed, but her father and uncle were spared for a while to run the mill. Eventually, they were also killed. Elmas became a young manager of a Sivas orphanage and went back to her home every week to give piano lessons to the Turkish captain's wife in exchange for flour to feed her mother and brother, who were living on the street.[1] She eventually emigrated to the U.S. with them and lived the rest of her life in Milwaukee, WI.

Education

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Kazarian was born in Chicago. In 1981 she graduated from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,[3][4] and in 1989 graduated with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[3][4]

From 1984–1990 Kazarian worked in Encyclopædia Britannica and from 1988 – 2005 she worked at the Chicago Art Institute.

Project 1915

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In 2015 to promote awareness of the culture and the tragedy, Kazarian created her work Armenia (Hayasdan) for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.[5][6][7] The work was partly inspired by Picasso's "Guernica."[1][8] Kazarian's painting is oriented in a way to reflect the view of Ararat and the names of the cities as if one is standing in historic Armenia and looking east. The orientation also refers to the ancient Christian maps (called TO maps), with east at the top of the map, north to the left.[9] The needle lace used in the painting and the praying hands at the base of the painting is from Kazarian's grandmother, Mariam Betlezian, who was from Marash.[1][2][5][8] The work will be displayed for the first time in Chicago's Mana Contemporary from April 17 to May 29.[5]

Exhibitions

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  • 2018 Modern Art Museum in Sharq, Kuwait[4]
  • 2012 Abraçades (Hugs), Bellvitge Art, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain[10]
  • 2010 Expect Nothing: New Works by Jackie Kazarian, Chicago Cultural Center[3][11]
    • Jackie Kazarian, Aleppo Women’s Art Festival[3]
    • Jackie Kazarian, Damascus, Syria[3]
    • Jackie Kazarian, Lattakia, Syria[3]
  • 2009 Jackie Kazarian, Union League Club of Chicago
  • 2008 Jackie Kazarian, exhale, Alfedena Gallery, Chicago[12]
    • Jackie Kazarian: breath, Stubbs, Chicago
    • Jackie Kazarian, The Artist Project, Artropolis, Chicago
  • 2007 Jackie Kazarian, The Artist Project, Artropolis, Chicago
  • 2006 Focus 5, Illinois State Museum Gallery, Chicago[13]
    • Gebben Gray Gallery, Fennville, MI
  • 2004 Don't Blink, Three Arts Club, Chicago
  • 1998 From Mariam's kitchen—the wallpaper series, Boyadjian Gallery,
    • AGBU Alex Manoogian Center, Pasadena, California
  • 1996 Jackie Kazarian, The Garden Wall Papers, Klein Art Works, Chicago
  • 1994 Klein Art Works, Chicago[14]
  • 1993 55 Mercer, New York City
    • Klein Art Works, Chicago[15]
  • 1991 Klein Art Works, Chicago[16]
    • 1935 Gallery, Chicago

Awards

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  • 2010 Visiting Artist, United States Embassy, Damascus, Syria[3]
  • 2008 Fellowship, Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women & Gender in the Arts & Media, Columbia College Chicago[10]
  • 1996–2004 Advisory Board, Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago
  • 1998–2004 Exhibition Advisory Committee, Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago
  • 1997–2004 Grants Panelist (Chair), City Arts Program, City of Chicago
  • 1991 Community Artist Assistance Program Grant, City of Chicago

Bibliography

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  • Darrell Roberts, "Jackie Kazarian Mammoth Abstraction @ the Chicago Cultural Center," artexaminer.com,
  • Karissa Lang, "Jackie Kazarian at Alfadena Gallery," Newcity Chicago, March 27, 2008.
  • Lauren Weinberg, "Focus 5," Time Out Chicago, December 14–27, 2006.
  • Leah Pietrusiak, "The Seldoms at Flatfile Galleries," Time Out Chicago, October 12–18.
  • Alan Artner, "Preserving passing cultures, Momento Mori." Chicago Tribune, July 12, 2002.
  • Richard Christiansen, "Memory lane joyfully leads to local libraries." Chicago Tribune, January 20, 2002.
  • Lynn Van Matre, "At Hindsdale show, art is full bloom." Chicago Tribune, April 19, 2001
  • Phil Smith, "Interior spaces still lives," Dialogue, September/October 2000.
  • Laura Stoland, "Interior spaces still lives." New Art Examiner, September 2000.
  • Janet Samuelian, "AGBU presents Chicago innovator, artist Jackie Kazarian." The Armenian Reporter International, August 8, 1998.
  • "Openings." Art and Antiques. December 1994.
  • Michael Muster, "Jackie Kazarian." New Art Examiner, April 1992.
  • Kathryn Hixson, "Chicago in review." New Art Examiner, March 1992.
  • Michael Bonesteel, "Ex-zoologist makes organic art." Lake Forester, January 24, 1991.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Chicago Artist Draws On Family History In Painting To Mark 1915 Armenian Genocide". CBS News. April 17, 2015. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Kiss the Ground—A New Armenia - Part 2". Kiss the Ground—A New Armenia (1 & 2). The Thompson Gallery. March 21, 2015. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Jackie Kazarian". Art in Embassies Program. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Omar, Faten (February 2, 2018). "American Artist Jackie Kazarian exhibits art collection in Kuwait" (PDF). Kuwait Times. pp. 26–27. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Rucinski, Tracy (March 23, 2015). "Chicago artist marks centennial of Armenian killings with Guernica-size work". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  6. ^ Haynes, Danielle (April 17, 2015). "Artist Jackie Kazarian's huge painting spotlights Armenian genocide". United Press International. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Froelich, Sean (April 22, 2015). "Video: Artist celebrates her culture 100 years after genocide". Medill Reports Chicago. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Lulay, Stephanie (April 17, 2015). "Marking the Armenian Genocide, Artist Forges Path to Forgive With Painting". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Firozi, Paulina (April 23, 2015). "Painting marks family history, 100-year anniversary of Armenian genocide". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Jackie Kazarian - Spring Fellow". Institute for the Study of Women & Gender in the Arts & Media - Columbia College Chicago. 2008. Archived from the original on March 11, 2014.
  11. ^ Waxman, Liri (September 3, 2010). "Stormy weather, Antarctic dreams: 2 climate-related exhibits upstage self-portraits of a boring beauty". Chicago Tribune. p. 5.9. ProQuest 749298007. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Luce, Chery (March 27, 2008). "Review: Jackie Kazarian/Alfedena". Newcity Art. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Schedule of Events" (PDF). Beyond Boundaries - Chicago Artists Month. October 2006. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 30, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via The Electronic Visualization Laboratory. Focus: 5, Continuing through February 16 - This exhibition features five contemporary Chicago area artists including....Jackie Kazarian, painting...
  14. ^ Gray, Lori (December 30, 1994). "Beret Gallery Comes Through For New Years Eve". Chicago Tribune. p. 745. ProQuest 418192979. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Wiens, Ann (May 1993). "Klein Art Works, Chicago; exhibit". New Art Examiner. Vol. 20. p. 38. ISSN 0886-8115.
  16. ^ McCraken, David (December 27, 1991). "Jackie Kazarian marks a good beginning". . ISSN . Archived from the original on . Retrieved ". Chicago Tribune. p. 54. ISSN 1085-6706. ProQuest 283093335. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
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