Curator:
Maya Anner
Madelaine Ekserciyan
Argentina
Mayrig
2014-2022
Mayrig in Armenian means mother. Born as an Armenian in Argentina, Madelaine Ekserciyan’s family migrated due to persecution caused by ethnic cleansing that originated in 1915 and continues to this day. Eight years ago, Ekserciyan began to travel regularly to Armenia to comprehend her family history and strengthen the bond with her roots. In the process, she learned that for children living in Armenia, as in other countries in conflict, the geopolitical situation confines their childhood and their aspirations for the future. Ekserciyan employs the camera to observe Armenian children and their relationship with the war, contemplating how the normalization of violence and nationalist sentiments have modified their play spaces. Children are universal as is their desire to play, but are they free to do so in a war-ridden country controlled by adults?
