project DaNanA – genetic memory
DaNanA is a wordplay of two Chechen words DA (Father) and NANA (Mother).
research overview
DaNanA emerged from the search to reconnect with a cultural past that has been shaped by centuries of turbulence, war, and shifting borders in the Caucasus. Many cultural artifacts, folklore, and oral traditions have been lost or remain obscured, making the search for historical continuity increasingly difficult. In seeking ways to bridge this gap, I turned to genetics, as it is the most advanced tool available for tracing heritage. Unlike traditional historical methods, genetic research offers an empirical yet deeply personal means of reconnecting with what has been forgotten. DaNanA is a exploration of ancestry, genetics, and artistic symbolism, examining the intersections of biological and cultural inheritance. This project functions as a playground where genetic memory and cultural heritage interact, using contemporary artistic methodologies to explore and visualize these connections
The Artwork
This work is a visual translation of my research on the cultural heritage of modern-day Chechens and a deeply personal odyssey into my ancestry. It animates a segment of my sequenced DNA code, functioning as an allegorical bridge between the millennia-old symbols of the Caucasus and the inherited genetic data that connects me to my lineage. By merging scientific data with cultural motifs, DaNanA reimagines lineage as a space where genetic memory meets artistic expression—a fusion of the past, present, and future in a continuous cycle of remembrance and redefinition.
2020, projection on canvas
