Lizzy Vartanian (b. 1993, London) is an embroidery artist based between London and Yerevan. Much of her work is inspired by roots in Armenia, Lebanon and Syria, transforming 20th-century family photographs into embroidery. She has been fortunate to spend time with female practitioners in Jordan and Armenia, learning about traditional stitches from Armenia and the Levant. Her work has been exhibited in the UK, Armenia and Jordan, including at the Royal Academy of Art. In 2024 she took part in the Artbox Katapult Creative Accelerator Program by Creative Armenia in Yerevan in partnership with AGBU and the EU. She was a 2019 resident at Darat Al Funun in Amman, Jordan and in 2025 she took part in the CROSS-LOOKING residency at the National Gallery of Armenia, which is funded by the EU.
Harissa, 2023
This embroidery is a recreation of a photograph of my great-grandfather, great-aunt and mother in Harissa, Lebanon. My great-grandfather always wore a tarboosh throughout his life.
Ainteb, 2025
This piece is an example of Armenian Ainteb embroidery. It includes an eight winged star in the centre, surrounded by almonds and trees of life. The inside of the star is decorated with the lentil motif.
Survival, 2023
This embroidery is a recreation of a photograph of my great-grandfather - Garabed Cholakyan - a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, and my mother in Aleppo, Syria.
Svaz, 2025
This is an example of Armenian Svaz embroidery, from Sebastia.
Beirut Set, 2025
These photographs of my mother in Beirut when she was a child. They each have a different style of Armenian embroidery on top which include Marash and Svaz embroidery.
Marash, 2026
This is an example of Armenian Marash embroidery. It was inspired by pieces made by Armenian women from Aleppo and Beirut.
The works selected are a mix of traditional Armenian embroidery and stitched versions of family photographs taken in Beirut and Aleppo, where my Aintabtsi family ended up after the Genocide.