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A weekly look at creativity, arts, and culture in southwest Michigan, hosted by Zinta Aistars.Fridays in Morning Edition at 7:50am and at 4:20pm during All Things Considered.

Art Beat: Transformational Art

Eric Hennig
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VAGUE Photography

The most striking aspect of Eana Agopian’s art is her incredible range of media. Name it and Agopian will transform it into a unique piece of art.

Agopian is a graduate of the Gwen Frostic School of Art at Western Michigan University, and of Kendall College of Art and Design. She’s earned many awards, including the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art's Fresh Pick Award, the Ninth Wave Studio Award for Ingenuity in Mixed or Intermedia at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts annual Regional Exhibition, and second place in the National Juried Exhibition “Beyond, Behind, Beneath, Narrative Self-Portraiture” at the South Haven Center for the Arts.

Art_Beat-Agopian-Full-Web.mp3
A conversation with Eana Agopian

“I come from a very artistic family,” Agopian says. “My grandmother was a professional artist. My mother as well; she’s a calligrapher. Everyone’s very creative, lots of musicians, professional cooks. I didn’t know anything different.”

Credit Courtesy of the artist
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Courtesy of the artist
Detail of Meiosis by Eana Agopian

Creating drawings and various art projects as a child, Agopian was always open to exploring new mediums and styles. In high school, she began experimenting with sculpture and photography. In college, her focus was on photography and printmaking, and soon added in collages.

In her artist statement, Agopian writes: “My artwork embraces the progressive nature of transformation. Inspired by the transformational aspects of the creative process, this work draws upon themes of alchemy, psychology, and various modes of sensual perception to explore magical and mysterious spaces. Using imagery inspired by celestial and botanical themes, as well as rhythms and cycles of nature, I strive to make fine art collage, prints, wearable art, and durable goods using hand printing techniques, embroidery, and non-toxic processes to create unique, magical items.”

Agopian also works in graphic design, a more commercial endeavor that allows for creativity but is more easily marketed.

“I love graphic design,” she says. “There’s something really nice about creating this image that is going to be seen by a lot of people, that’s going to be reproduced, particularly for a musician or a band. It might be on album covers and be seen around the world. It’s a totally different way of working but equally satisfying.”

Listen to WMUK's Art Beat every Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 4:20.m.

Zinta Aistars is our resident book expert. She started interviewing authors and artists for our Arts & More program in 2011.
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