As an artist, I took the hands-on approach and started small in this revolutionary
medium. And it is a revolution! Recording light in space and space itself is a quantum leap from other art media. For me there is always the question, the mystery of what will happen when I explore some new concept. I question the medium itself. Unlike the established art media, the unending possibilities of holography are to be explored! For me there are many ideas to bring to an unknown fruition.

Anaït spoke in Defining Traditions 1969 - 1996 and was presented with a lifetime achievement award for her outstanding contribution to the field of creative holography.

 

Anaït Arutunoff Stephens died during the preparations for this postcard collection, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering work, uncompromising views and a quality of perseverance which not only typifies her as an artist but also the medium of creative holography.

She was invited to speak at Art in Holography2 because of her creative perspective, diligence against many odds, and desire to continue exploring, searching for answers locked within the light she worked with. She almost didn't speak, convinced that no one was interested in her activities - nervous about exposing herself, yet again, to colleagues and 'younger' artists who found it difficult to see past the apparent strength of her persona, to the quality of pioneering work which lay behind. A great deal of persuasion went on, behind the scenes, and she made her presentation - the last - in front of a curious and professional international audience. The session in which she spoke was the bedrock and 'opening' of the symposium. Those who were present experienced a punctuation in the poignant and intense history of the medium.
AP

 

Obituary by Margaret Benyon