In celebration of the exceptional event that is the presentation of Artavazd Pelechian’s new film Nature—his first in 27 years—the Fondation Cartier is spotlighting the filmmaker, whose work remains too little known by the general public, through an online project accessible to all on its website: Encounter with Artavazd Pelechian. The fruit of an ambitious research effort conducted in close collaboration with the artist, this unprecedented project explores the life and work of the rare, yet celebrated filmmaker, a “missing link in the true history of cinema”, in the words of Serge Daney.
From his birth in Armenia to the making of his new film, Nature, first shown in 2020, Encounter with Artavazd Pelechian looks back on the milestones of his career. Presenting excerpts from the ten films that now make up Pelechian’s filmography, this exploration is enhanced with rare documents, historical photos and a number of contributions by figures from the art and film worlds. It elucidates some of the mystery surrounding this distinctive filmmaker and his lyrical, timeless body of work.