Elliott Erwitt Havana Club 7 Fellowship
DIANA MARKOSIAN - OVER THE RAINBOW

THE ARMENIAN-AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER DIANA MARKOSIAN HAS BEEN AWARDED THE THIRD "ELLIOTT ERWITT HAVANA CLUB 7 FELLOWSHIP"

EXHIBITION PARIS PHOTO 8th - 11th NOV 2018 BOOTH A23 - GRAND PALAIS

Over the Rainbow is a project blending fantasy-inspired studio portraiture and video along with documentary images to create a multi-layered portrait of a Cuban girls’ transition into womanhood. Widely celebrated in Latino culture, the quinceañera is a gender-specific tradition, wherein girls dress like princesses, inviting guests to celebrate their 15th birthday and transition into womanhood with a lavish party. The display of wealth is important, even in communist Cuba, where the tradition has transformed into a performance, with an emphasis on photo and video shoots. Girls hire photographers to create images of themselves posing in elaborate — and sometimes risqué — ensembles against fantastical backdrops. The images, a symbol of luxury and wealth, offer a different view of Cuba, allowing girls to live out a fantasy and perceived ideal of femininity. Only for one day, but documenting it forever.

Diana Markosian is an Armenian-American artist whose work explores the relationship between memory and place. Born in the former Soviet Union, her family immigrated to the United States when she was a child, leaving her father behind. In 2010, she received her master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Her images can be found in publications like National Geographic Magazine, The New Yorker and The New York Times. In 2016, she became a Magnum nominee.