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Michelle Coco Der Vartanian - screen grab of home video
Screen grab from old home video footage circa 2000 showcasing our living room
michelle coco der vartanian - halloween photo of mom and brother
Photograph of my mother and brother on Halloween circa 1999 displayed in a vintage photo album
coco der vartanian - animation process
Notes informing my animation process
Biography

Michelle Coco Der Vartanian was born in Tarzana CA on February 26, 1997. She is a Pisces Sun with a Moon in Libra and is very sensitive. Due to her emotional state her mother prepared her for the cruel world by teaching her how to make light of harsh realities. She always finds something funny even in something serious and has been primarily working in animation and graphic design. She makes auto biographical art that has been shown in the MFA Medial Arts Annual 2018, Tate Gallery 2016, an artist collective called She Loves 2015, and Gallery 3/16 in 2017. As Manny Farber said about his own style of art, “Termite Art is made by artists driven by the specificity of their own experiences, rather than the trends of the day or the pursuit of grandiose truths.” Michelle strongly identifies with this definition and would also consider herself a termite artist, she makes art about her every day and everyday emotions of the past and memories with a humorous take.

Artist statement

I create work that is exclusively auto-biographical. I find that the work I create about myself and my experiences best reflects my lighthearted point of view and dark sense of humor. Art is a therapeutic process for myself and I incorporate my use of witty remarks and banter in my imagery to accurately depict my personal ways of coping. Not to mention, I have a terrible memory, so to produce these narratives within my view gives me a chance to hold on to some of these moments in time.

I grew up in a very artistic family and being in that environment helped foster my creativity and love of making. I was teased a lot in my formative years and I was taught to laugh at that pain and that is something I practice today, especially within my art. I have used these feelings of past and humor to fuel my project about my home and family.

Because of my love of storytelling, I find animation to be one of the best way to represent my narrative. With animation there is no need for accuracy which allows for playfulness and excitement thereby mimicking my comedic and lighthearted manner. My style can also speak to the nature of memories and nostalgia; it is a little out of sort and very childlike. I am bringing together the core ideas of my home and my family pre-divorce back together within this piece.

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