It was a journey in a van that profoundly impacted Elina Abovyan’s life and artistic practice. In 2019 she participated in the Edu VanHub Project. The team traveled through Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine. Along the way, Elina led a series of engaging video-making and animation workshops in rural villages. The project was designed to empower socially disadvantaged youth by providing them with essential media skills. By fostering an inclusive and innovative learning environment, the initiative aimed to equip them with the tools they need to thrive. Armed with basic knowledge, they can become more adaptable and self-reliant in their pursuit of quality education.

animation brings future hope

Elina was working as production designer when she met her friend Natalia Believea. Eventually they traveled together through Serbia and Slovakia, creating two short movie along the way, and much more media content. This journey reignited Elina’s passion for storytelling. She immersed herself in the cultures they encountered and listened to the stories of people they met.

Elina’s keen awareness of social issues is poignantly showcased in her short film For Pasha (2022), an animation crafted with sign language. Her intent was to create a film for the hearing impaired. The video address their daily challenges through a soft and gentle animation. For Pasha is a lyrical piece where two red hands on a black background gracefully draw a sentence in sign language. “I was looking for the most beautiful noise, but I figured out it is silence.”

images by PILOTENKUECHE or supplied by artist

Through animation, Elina seeks to find an emotional way of storytelling. Specifically her interest focuses on exploring the interstices of realities, those fragments of everyone’s life that may not be perceivable at first glance. By digging beneath the surface of reality, she brings up personal and hidden subjects. This intent is always present in her work whether she’s engaging with children in remote villages, creating videos in sign language, or reflecting on her own experiences.

Self-reflection is beautifully presented in her ongoing project for a children’s book, One Day Someone Sneezed and Someone Got Lost. The main character, a giraffe wearing a scarf, was Elina’s childhood imaginary friend. However, as she grew up, she realized she had partially lost touch with this imaginary world. Determined to remember these tales, she decided to compile them into a book about love and friendship. She envisions a day when she can read it to her own children.

Overcoming fear: the story of She Doesn’t Bite

Her latest short animated film, She Doesn’t Bite (2022), delves into Elina’s lifelong fear of dogs. This poignant video explores how this fear has shaped her life. It captures the essence of an emotion that many can relate to. Through this project, Elina not only highlights the pervasive impact of fear but also embarks on a journey of healing. By the film’s end, she overcomes her phobia and adopts Aya, a sweet cocker spaniel who now accompanies her everywhere.