Rachel Hakimian Emenaker’s artwork in her solo exhibition at the Grand Central Art Center in California State University, Fullerton, titled “Deep Roots Among Fallen Trees,” delves into the complexities of contemporary life in Los Angeles and beyond. Her pieces evoke a sense of nostalgia and mystery, often depicting scenes of gentrification, religion, and homeland. Raised in various places such as Paramaribo, Suriname, and Moscow, Russia, Emenaker’s artworks are a blend of her diverse cultural influences.
One striking installation in the exhibition is “Within a Diasporic Architecture” (2024), featuring four batik-on-canvas panels suspended from wooden structures. The panels, with their inverted colors and ethereal quality, create a ghostly ambiance, inviting viewers to step into a world where past and present coexist. The imagery of grandmothers in babushkas and children in church attire further adds to the haunting atmosphere.
Religious motifs play a significant role in Emenaker’s work, particularly in the installation “Traces #5,” “Traces #6,” and “Traces #7” (2025). These pieces showcase church facades and interiors rendered in batik form, accompanied by ambient sounds emanating from the central ceramic-tiled box titled “Untitled” (2024). The juxtaposition of religious iconography with childhood memories creates a sense of juxtaposition and introspection within the viewer.
Emenaker’s love for ceramics is evident in her large-scale pieces such as “365 Prayers/ 365 Fists” (2025), a massive rosary made of porcelain beads, and “Untitled Floor” (2024), a mosaic path crafted from glazed ceramic tiles. These works blend traditional craftsmanship with contemporary themes, reflecting the artist’s multifaceted identity and artistic vision.
Overall, Emenaker’s exhibition invites viewers to ponder the intersection of memory, identity, and spirituality. By creating ghostly landscapes that transcend time and space, she challenges us to confront our own histories and contemplate the fleeting nature of existence. “Deep Roots Among Fallen Trees” is a testament to the power of art to evoke emotion, provoke thought, and spark conversations about the complexities of the human experience.
