Sonia Balassanian Armenian-Iranian-American, b. 1942

Sonia Balassanian (b. 1942, Armenian-Iranian-American), born in Arak, Iran, to a family of Armenian heritage, developed her artistic language through poetic verse, architectural form and the cultural movements of 1970s New York. She emerged as a key figure in the Lyrical Abstraction movement, and also became recognised for her painted photo-collage sculpture and video works. She represented Armenia at the Venice Biennale on various occasions, including participation in the Golden Lion award-winning Armenian Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale. Balassanian has also held solo exhibitions at SculptureCenter, New York, and participated in several exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. She lives and works in Tribeca, New York.