What I liked
The low-tech, cinema-verité “home movie” mode was a surprisingly refreshing antidote to the slick “creator” video content and professional travelogues that we encounter every day. Natural sounds and conversations (fully sub-titled), and an unhurried pace drew me in completely. The lengthy shot of the artist’s mother and aunt looking across a distant landscape, no conversation, no narration, no underscoring, just the sound of the wind for what must have been at least a minute, was captivating. An impressive second chapter to her envisioned three or four part installation series on diaspora.
What I didn't like
I should have suspected that this one-off presentation might not follow the Fringe show format strictly. I ended up being a few minutes late to my next show when this one ran well beyond the listed 45 minute time, but the pre-show buffet was amazing, complete with Armenian wines and interesting conversations with the artist’s guests. On balance it was worth the scheduling challenge.
My overall impression
Enlightening and very personal record of the artist’s effort to embrace her Armenian heritage through her aunt’s reactions during their visit to their homeland. As the title suggests and the artist explained in her per-show remarks, she herself did not find the often promised immediate affinity for the land and the people that her aunt did.
