Maral Matig’s dreamlike illustrations recall the histories and traditions of Western Armenia. Full of mountains and traditional architecture, her characters are drawn in front of the night’s sky, often with tears falling down their faces, turning towards a lost homeland. Armenia Art Fair spoke to Maral about her upbringing, inspirations and hopes for the future.
Born in Canada, Maral comes from a Turkish-Armenian and an Egyptian-Armenian background, and having started drawing and painting at around age 5, the teenage artist has only just learnt that her grandfather from Istanbul was also an artist. “I think this plays into my creative side”, she explains, “Even though I never met him.”
Having never been to Armenia, there is a sense that Maral idealises the culture, with her figures sometimes appearing sad and thoughtful, as though they are lamenting the loss of something they never quite had the ability to touch. In one work, a half-nude male figure leans on top of a mountain range, he looks a little dejected, and is wearing traditional silver Armenian jewellery. On his chest is a tattoo known as the “arevakhach”, a sun symbol that signifies eternity. Meanwhile, another tattoo on his arm says ուժեր or oujeh, meaning strong. “I do believe I ‘idealize’ Armenian traditions in my paintings, and I think this comes from a desire to reconnect, to compensate for what I have distanced myself from in the past”, explains Maral, “Personally, simply being Armenian, especially Istanbul-Armenian, feels very nostalgic and as though we are grieving for a place we have yet to return to. The Diasporan part, I think, stems from a feeling of not really belonging anywhere, but I want to embrace that emotional state instead of pushing it away.”
The fact that Armenian traditions feature so heavily in Maral’s work may be due to her childhood. “My upbringing was quite traditional in the sense that I went to Armenian school and participated in the culture, but when I turned 11 this started to change, and coincidentally this was the age where I started to feel the most anxious”, she explains, adding, “I changed to an English school where things seemed foreign and unsettling, and I lost myself a bit. I figured this feeling was normal and that I should simply ‘assimilate’ fully, which I did, but this resulted in a disconnection from my Armenian identity. Thankfully it has somehow found its way back into my spirit as well as my paintings, because I have found comfort in language, art, music and dance.” This is demonstrated in works inspired by the costumes worn in music videos by Armenian pop star’s like Sirusho, and in characters playing oud or clutching pomegranates.
Maral’s inspiration comes from a variety of sources. “I tend to be drawn to a lot of philosophical poetry”, explains Maral, which makes sense since, scrolling through her Instagram feed you will notice that many of her artworks are accompanied by a piece of text. “You pull your own heartsrings”, reads one, while another says “you set a timeline, but the wheel keeps spinning.” There is an obvious emotional and sentimental feel to Maral’s work. “I think that when it comes down to it I really enjoy learning about culture and exploring spirituality”, she explains, “Visually, what I believe influences my paintings the most is the way I perceive life in a sensitive manner, which puts me at both an advantage and a disadvantage.”
About her favourite Armenian artists, Maral cites several. “I have many, many, many favourite Armenian artists (you being one of them!) and I love this new creative Diasporan generation because it’s like a family”, she explains, adding, “I think we can all agree Martiros Saryan was an iconic painter, and a musician whose work I have been loving at the moment is Vigen Hovsepyan.”
And what about the future? Maral would like to make her first trip to Armenia, but her first stop would be outside of Yerevan. “My ultimate goal is to swim in Lake Van”, she explains, “I plan to visit as soon as possible, and I’ve also been thinking of living there in the future!” She’s also focused on surrounding those around her and herself with gratitude. “I’m trying not to worry excessively about what might or might not happen in the coming years”, she says, “But ultimately I’m excited to meet other artists and connect with others – Armenian or not!”
