Ina Michaelian
Ina Michaelian is a mixed media artist whose work is a continuous exploration of life—observing, feeling, and expressing without pretense. Rooted in both digital and traditional techniques, her art embodies a deep engagement with personal memory, subconscious imagery, and the delicate balance between structure and spontaneity.
Having studied at the Kojoyan Art Educational Complex, the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema (Scenography Department), and later graduating from the Yerevan Academy of Fine Arts, Ina spent several years working exclusively in digital media. However, in 2023, she felt an undeniable pull back to traditional materials, producing a significant body of mixed media paintings that have since been exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions.
Her artistic process is fueled by everyday life—both its external realities and internal dialogues. She sees existence as an ongoing study, where the familiar transforms into the unnoticed, and the subconscious reveals hidden narratives. Dreams, both waking and sleeping, play a pivotal role in her practice, shaping her compositions with surreal yet deeply personal visions.
In her debut solo exhibition, Back to the Future, Michaelian presents a deeply introspective journey, blending childhood nostalgia, familial roots, and dreamscapes. The recurring motif of the paper airplane becomes a poignant symbol of resilience, memory, and the push-and-pull between imagination and reality. Rejecting rigid artistic conventions, she embraces imperfection as a form of creative liberation—seeking authenticity over technical precision.
Working in mixed media, Ina layers acrylics, pastels, pencils, and markers onto her canvases, constructing intricate visual dialogues that defy categorization. While still evolving her artistic language, she welcomes uncertainty as an essential part of the creative process—one that mirrors the unpredictability of life itself.
Thank you for being here.
I want to share something personal with you—my journey, my experiences, which I’ve tried to capture honestly on canvas. My work is simple and genuine, without any pretension or hidden meanings. Each piece reflects a moment or a chapter in my life that holds significance, but I don't intend for them to carry heavy philosophies or require lengthy explanations.
Painting is my way of expressing myself. When I paint, I often don’t know exactly what I’m doing, but I do know that I have to do it. It’s the only way I’ve found not to feel “useless.” No matter how hard I try to block out the thoughts of what others might think, once a painting is done, I feel an overwhelming need to share it. It’s a natural urge, one that doesn’t seek approval or expect praise—it just wants to be seen.
This exhibition marks the end of my creative journey for 2023-24, and now, I’m ready to move forward.
With love,
Ina
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