Denise Yaghmourian
Wigwag Field, 2021
fabric, eyelets, thread varieties 20 x 20 x 2
Denise Yaghmourian
Lifeboats, 2020
small animal bones (responsibly sourced) thread, fabric 12 x 12 x 1 in.
I created this piece with small animal bones (responsibly sourced) and thread, shaped into the form of lifeboats. Through crochet, wrapping, and knotting, these fragile remnants become vessels that carry both urgency and hope. The lifeboat is a symbol of survival, yet also a reminder that time is running out. By reimagining bone and thread into these delicate forms, I seek to honor what has been lost while calling attention to the precarious balance we now face as a collective.
Denise Yaghmourian
Year by Year – detail image, 2020-present
yarn, rope, string varieties installed based on environment and space
Year by Year (detail image shown) is a sculptural installation, fiber based piece. Each fiber sculpture is a representation of a distinct year of life. Celebrating joyous occasions, recalling sad times, these are conveyed by the specific materials used in the pieces. Some, for example, have bits of sparkle while others contain twisted knots and loops. Some are smooth and satiny, while others appear visually rough and coarse. The pieces range in size, also as a way to show how the perception of time is always changing."
Denise Yaghmourian
All for Onesie and Onesie for All!, 2025
American flag patches, fabric, thread 17 x 13 x 1 in.
“All for Onesie and Onesie for All” repurposes discarded or flawed American flag patches to confront the contradictions between the ideals the flag represents and the current state of our nation. While the American flag is meant to symbolize freedom, equality, and unity, this work exposes how those values are often compromised—especially in times of political unrest, systemic injustice, and growing division. By constructing an infant onesie from these imperfect emblems, the piece underscores a powerful truth: we are all born equal, before society imposes its hierarchies and prejudices. The onesie becomes both a symbol of innocence and a call to return to our foundational principles—reminding us that resistance begins with reclaiming the promise of equality for every individual in a fractured democracy.
Denise Yaghmourian
Kaleidoscope Button Sculptures, 2025
buttons, wire varies upon site
Composed of thousands of iridescent, hand selected buttons, these suspended kinetic sculptures pay homage to my Grandmother’s sewing box and were initially inspired by the intricate architecture of beehives. These organic, floating forms are designed to accentuate the inherent beauty and understated elegance of everyday objects, such as the button, which is rich with aesthetic and functional significance.
Denise Yaghmourian
Noctiflorous Field, 2025
fabric, eyelets, thread varieties, on wood 48 x 48 x 2 in.
NOCTIFLOROUS, is a 48 x 48 x 3 inch fiber-based artwork composed of fabric, eyelets and a range of threads, including embroidery threads of varying colors and thicknesses. Inspired by the delicate and sacred nature of night-blooming flowers, the piece explores themes of fragility, transience, and meditative presence. The work investigates how subtle shifts in thread color and density can create a sense of depth and spatial movement. Beginning at the center, I stitched outward through repeating patterns toward the middle and then the outer edges. As the threads gradually shift in hue and become finer, they begin to fade—echoing the fleeting beauty of a night bloom and the impermanence of life itself.
Denise Yaghmourian
Every Home Has a Soul, 2025
repurposed greenhouse, metallic thread, gold garden wire 59 x 36 x 36 in.
Every Home Has a Soul is a sculptural piece that invites reflection on the enduring presence of home - not just as a physical space, but as a living entity that holds memories and lingers beyond its material form. this work explores the essence and afterlife of home, revealing it as more than a structure. It is a presence, a spirit, and a vessel of personal and collective histories.
