Annie Kurkdjian

Annie Kurkdjian, born in Beirut in 1972, was deeply shaped by the Lebanese civil war and personal trauma, including the violent loss of her father and inherited memories of the Armenian genocide. Struggling with PTSD, she turned to art as a means of processing pain after exploring studies in management, psychology, and theology, fully committing to her artistic career in 2005.

Her work is marked by powerful, haunting imagery—figures in distorted, grotesque postures that evoke suffering, vulnerability, and existential tension. Through large, emotionally charged canvases, she explores themes of trauma, identity, and the human condition.

Kurkdjian’s art seeks to transform pain into meaning, reflecting her belief in art’s ability to sublimate even the darkest experiences.