‘Taraz’
Displayed as part of a group show titled ‘Photo Portrait Now’, at London’s National Portrait Gallery, 2024. This portrait aims to explore identiyy through culture, hobbies and interests. Here, the photographer focuses on the significance of dance and dress. His subject, Millena Aleksanyan, wears a traditional Armenian dress called a taraz, a visual expression of her culture and identity. Her pose, meanwhile, conveys beauty, grace and elegance, and is a tribute to the Armenian love song Ashkharhums Imn Dun Is, written by Sayat Nova, in which he confesses his love for a woman.
Charlie Lewis