"The Art of Resilience" by Nathalie Kardjian
"The Art of Resilience" by Nathalie Kardjian
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“ART OF RESILIENCE”
An Art Show Opening & Fundraiser
August 29 | 4:00–10:00 PM
$35
Join us for the opening of Nathalie Kardjian's solo art show, an evening celebrating the art of resilience, community, and the creative journey behind the work.
The exhibition brings together Nathalie’s previous works, new pieces created during her artist residency, and one especially meaningful work created 14 years ago back home. Carried overseas on her most recent trip, the piece has survived earthquakes, war, displacement, and years of upheaval, carrying its own story of resilience.
For the first time, Nathalie will also premiere the 2-minute trailer for her documentary film, Hair Lock and share the story behind the film, a project more than a decade in the making.
Rooted in true-life stories, @hairlockstories explores resilience and the experiences that shape our understanding of one another. Nathalie will share the story behind the film, its artistic vision and historical context, the people and collaborators behind it, its 10-year production journey, where the project stands today, and the support needed to bring it to completion.
Through art, film, conversation, and a communal creative experience, Art of Resilience invites us to explore difficult histories while asking a larger question: How do we transform what we carry into something that connects us?
Evening Program
4:00 PM – Doors Open | Art, Drinks, Snacks & Music
Arrive anytime, explore the exhibition at your own pace, enjoy refreshments and music, and connect with friends, family, artists, and community.
5:30–6:30 PM – Artist Talk + Hair Lock Presentation & Trailer Screening
Nathalie will share her personal and creative journey, including her artist residency experience, what she encountered, created, felt, and discovered during her time in space.
The conversation will then move into Hair Lock: its origins, artistic vision, collaborators, themes, historical context, production journey, fundraising goals, and the impact the team hopes to create.
The presentation will include the first public screening of the 2-minute Hair Lock trailer.
6:30 - 7:00 PM Q&A + Open Dialogue
Join Nathalie for an open conversation about the work and the themes behind Hair Lock, including war, stereotypes, propaganda, hardship, identity, resilience, and the human experience.
There will be no graphic war imagery, though some topics discussed may be emotionally intense.
07:00–7:30 PM – Break | Food, Drinks & Connection
Take a break, grab some food, step outside, and connect before we begin the evening’s communal art experience.
7:30–8:30 PM – The Art of Resilience | Guided Communal Art Experience
After hearing the stories and exploring the themes within Hair Lock, we’ll take a moment to pause, digest, and turn those emotions into creative expression.
Through a simple guided mental and artistic exercise, we’ll explore how stories, memories, and film can trigger emotions — and how we can move through those emotions and transform them through art.
Everyone is invited to participate in a large-scale communal artwork. There is no right or wrong way to create. You can follow your emotions, experiment with color and movement, or simply play.
Kids are welcome to join too. Let them guide you through the world of abstract art, or if you’re not sure where to begin, Nathalie will be there to guide you.
With music playing in the background, we’ll create together, explore, release, and experience the Art of Resilience as a community.
ART • FILM • STORYTELLING • COMMUNITY • RESILIENCE
Come for the art.
Stay for the story.
Become part of the experience.
August 29 | 4:00–10:00 PM
We look forward to creating, connecting, and sharing this evening with you.
Artist Bio
Nathalie Kardjian is Laguna Lab's 2nd Artist-In-Residence.
Nathalie Kardjian is a multidisciplinary, cross-cultural artist based in Los Angeles. Her practice centers on storytelling across visual, cinematic, and performative forms, using abstraction to hold memory, displacement, and lived experience. Working across painting, photography, film, and documentary theater, her work explores the psychological traces of resilience and survival through personal and collective narratives.
She presents "The Art of Resilience," a multi-faceted event combining an interactive workshop, exhibition, and fundraiser for her documentary, Hairlock. Working across diverse mediums, she will showcase her story and creative evolution through gallery wall art, film screenings, and hands-on audience participation.
The event takes place on Saturday, August 29th, 4pm-10pm
About the Artist
Nathalie draws inspiration from the world around her, the struggles her generation has faced, her own lived experiences, and the human stories that unfold every day. Anything can spark creativity, but for her, true creation begins when there is nothing left to lose—a philosophy that shapes a practice driven by instinct, emotional honesty, and deep observation.
Alongside her studio work, Nathalie is the founder, director, and producer of Hair Lock Stories, an ongoing documentary project examining identity, connection, memory, and resilience across borders. The project extends beyond film into live documentary theater, exhibitions, and printed works. She has curated community-based exhibitions and pop-ups at her DTLA studio and expanded her visual language into merchandise featuring her original artwork. As a performer, she has acted in short films, commercial projects, and narrative storytelling.
After years of living and working in San Francisco and the Bay Area, Nathalie developed a parallel career in technology as an AI conversation designer and data analyst. Traveling between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, she navigates the spaces between logic and emotion, systems and storytelling. This oscillation informs her artistic language, where analytical precision meets human vulnerability, shaping a practice rooted in both intelligence and instinct.
Selected Exhibitions & Performances
- Rizo Corp Gallery – Los Angeles, 2026
- MC Gallery, New York — Group Exhibition, 2025
- Playhouse Merced — Documentary Theater Performance, 2025
- PauHaus Gallery, Los Angeles — Group Exhibition, 2025
- The Little Raven Gallery, San Francisco — Group Exhibition, 2025
- Pershing Square Building, Los Angeles — Curated and Group Exhibitions, July 2024; October 2024; November 2024
- Manny’s, San Francisco — Group Exhibition, February 2024
- Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco — Documentary Theater Performance, 2024
- McSweeney’s, San Francisco — Literary & Art Event, May 2023
