Rene Gabri, TREBISONDA OR SONIA BALASSANIAN IN THE TIME OF FOXES, 2007

Trebisonda or Sonia Balassanian in the time of the foxes is a book made by one artist about-for-to another. It takes its subject, Sonia Balassanian both as its point of arrival and departure. Rather than isolating or defining Sonia or her work, the book attempts instead to connect her to the world from which her life and ideas emerge. Sonia Balassanian is artist and poet, born in Iran in 1942. She lives and works in New York and Yerevan. Her works across a variety of forms and mediums have been exhibited internationally since the 70’s. She has also published 2 hooks of selected poems in Armenian (1982 and 1991, reprinted in 2006) as well as an artist’s book entitled Portraits (1983). Since 1992, she has been involved in Armenia helping advance fine arts and presenting Armenian contemporary art on the international arena. In 1994 her involvement in Armenia culminated in founding the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art (NPAK in Armenian acronym). NPAK has since become an active center where artists explore new means and forms of expression, thought, and experimentation. She is also an alumnus of the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program.

With essays by: Salar Abdoh, Ayreen Anastas, François Bucher, Nina Möntmann and Jalal Toufic.