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Over the last two decades Hovnanian has examined virtually every aspect of the narcissus flower, coating them in wax, crushing the blooms to produce ink, and working with a chemist to recreate the sickly sweet aroma of the flower at the moment when the bloom begins to decay. Preservation of beauty is life, as we know it today. Art reflects and imitates in order to document, defend and educate. Although subjective, our culture finds universality in the opinion of what is and what is not beautiful. In general, the preservation of beauty is equivalent with the preservation of youth. To freeze beauty at its most accomplished and "perfect" has been the ambition of art throughout the ages. However, due to today's advancing technologies, medicine, and cosmetic surgery, this idealistic notion is more vehemently pursued than ever. The question remains: does the artificial preservation of a formerly living organism enrich or diminish our memory of it?
Hovnanian's continual reinterpretation and representation of the Narcissus flower grows with her oeuvre, exploring the depths of self-reflection and personal identity within the modern world.
