She Loves Collective
June 3 - September 11, 2021
Glendale Library Arts & Culture and ReflectSpace Gallery present HER RELIC by She Loves Collective, an expansive yet intimate art installation showcasing 500 pounds of traditional Armenian Lavash bread. The immersive installation takes over the whole ReflectSpace gallery to create a unique space to contemplate our common sources of nutrition as well as the often invisible impact of women’s labor in sustaining our planet.
HER RELIC continues and extends She Loves Collective’s exploration of healing, moving forward, and growth through a variety of themes broadly construed as “relics” while paying close attention to the role women play in society, particularly in Armenian communities. HER RELIC installation is sculpted and enveloped with roughly 500 pounds of lavash—a soft, thin flatbread recognized by The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having originated from Armenia. Lavash is typically prepared by women and is a traditional staple of sustenance in Armenian culture. Lavash represents nutrition and life.
From April to May 2021, MY RELIC, the previous iteration of this installation, was showcased along Artsakh Avenue in Glendale. It was sponsored by the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission and received a special commendation from the City of Glendale’s Mayor Paula Devine.
HER RELIC installation at ReflectSpace Gallery runs from June 3 to September 11, 2021 and is open to the public during regular library hours.
Curated by: Adrineh Baghdassarian
Artists: Nelly Achkhen Anaeis Jake Hagopian Ani Grigorian Ani Nina Oganyan Armineh Hovanesian Evleen Hacopian Bakhtamian Helena Grigorian Lar Gulvartian Mari Mansourian Nairi Bandari Rouzanna Berberian Taline Olmessekian
She Loves Collective is an alliance of female artists who share a strong belief in the power of creating social change through art. The collective draws its inspiration from the ancestral spirit of women and dedicates MY RELIC to all Armenian women around the world—mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, she/her/they. “Our Armenian-ness connects us, we are proud of you.” Join She Loves Collective and work to empower women through art. Visit SheLovesCollective.com and follow @shelovescollective on FB, Instagram, Twitter.