At the time of creating this piece, I was a 15-year-old girl whose mind was plagued by the horrific images of ethnic cleansing and war that occurred in Artsakh. People I knew were personally affected by the 2020 Artsakh war, and I felt utterly powerless living in the US and witnessing such destruction from afar.

At just 13, I had to say goodbye to my male friends and family who would be drafted into a war that progressed into a surreal nightmare of bloodshed. I felt the urgency to utilize whatever skills I had and advocate through art. I knew that if my painting won first place, it would be hung in Capitol Hill for all the politicians to see. I made use of that opportunity and attempted to create a raw, dramatic piece that would make politicians question their apathy towards the ongoing erasure of my people.

This painting won first place in a state-wide Congressional Art Competition. It was featured on the Armenian Weekly, gained significant attention from Ruben Vardanyan and the ANCA, and was hung on Capitol Hill in D.C.

It depicts me in traditional clothing, with an outstretched hand holding a pomegranate (noor, which is very much on theme of this magazine). Within the pomegranate is a three-dimensional assemblage. At the bottom is a row of clay skulls I sculpted. A chessboard, in the colors of the earth, is supported by these three skulls. On the chessboard is an arrangement of tanks, pawns, and war machines, symbolizing proxy war and a global “chess game” that resulted in so many lives being tragically lost. In the very back of the installation, I placed a mirror as a confrontational touch towards the viewer, which places the responsibility to act on the Armenian cause upon them. This piece is still very pertinent not only to the Armenian cause, but to other ongoing genocides today.