Unusual Connections
New castles of the world
Series of 17 drawings
Acrylic paint and ink on wood
2017-2023
Unusual Connections explores various cities with names that signify “new castle.” These include: Akhaltzikhe, Georgia; Herceg Novi, Montenegro; Jaunpils, Latvia; Kota Bharu, Malaysia; Neuburg an der donau, Germany; Neuchâtel, Switzerland; New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA; Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom; Newcastle, Australia; Newcastle, Canada; Newcastle, Indiana, USA; Nove Hrady, Czech Republic; Nové Zámky, Slovakia; Nyborg, Denmark; Shinshiro, Japan.
The inspiration comes to Alina Mnatsakanian – who lives in Neuchâtel, Switzerland – when she discovers that the name of her grandmother's birthplace Akhaltsikhe also means new castle. An intriguing parallel!
