The imaginary grandparents
Marie Zolamian

This work is a sequel of the series of paintings “nous partout” dating from 2007-2008.

“nous partout" ("we everywhere”) has become for me the symbol of a hybrid identity, the crystallization of a cultural mix, the search for a lost family network and reconstruction from fragile and valueless elements.

In 2015, I wanted to pursue the life of this series.
I took the opportunity of the “Grandchildren” invitation (collective show in Istanbul, September 2015) to try to create a dialogue between the protagonist of the paintings which is the grandmother, me, through the city of Istanbul.

I encountered 12 elderly Armenians from Turkey, grandparents I never had.
I gave them each a disposable camera and asked them to tell me their neighbourhood, the streets, their surroundings and their environments through photographs.
Then, once the photographs have been printed, I met them and recorded the stories of the photographs.