ARAM JIBILIAN

USA

 

 

Aram Jibilian moved to New York from his native California in 1998 to pursue a Master of Arts at New York University. In 2008, Jibilian began an “inter-and intra-psychic” exploration of the work of the Armenian-American artist, Arshile Gorky. Based on the artists’ shared ancestry and the recent death of a loved one by suicide, Jibilian began to consider the psychic traces of loss and how they function within the individual and the Armenian Diaspora as a whole. This investigation ultimately led him to Gorky’s home in Sherman, Connecticut, where the “ghost” of Gorky had reportedly been residing. Beginning in 2012, Jibilian joined a performance collective with choreographer Daria Fain, which ultimately led to a series of performances with The Commons Choir. In 2013, Jibilian enrolled at Hunter College where he recently completed a Masters in Social Work. He was awarded The Getzel Family Award for his work and commitment to the health and well being of communities which have been marginalized. Alongside his continued art practice, Jibilian currently works as a psychotherapist for youth experiencing homelessness in New York City.