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Robert Sahakyants: I Do What I Love, It Has Never Been Otherwise

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  • Robert Sahakyants: I Do What I Love, It Has Never Been Otherwise

    ROBERT SAHAKYANTS: I DO WHAT I LOVE, IT HAS NEVER BEEN OTHERWISE

    PanARMENIAN.Net
    24.09.2009 GMT+04:00

    He was one of those without whom, in his opinion, everything would
    sink in sweet syrup.

    A couple of years ago I had a chance of an interview with Robert
    Sahakyants and one could not assume at that time that he would leave
    the world so soon. We all knew he was ill, but no one suspected
    how serious the illness was. He was one of those without whom, in
    his opinion, everything would sink in sweet syrup. All that you'll
    read further are his direct words, as we thought no one could speak
    of Robert Sahakyants and the world surrounding him better than he
    himself. For some reason he always spoke Russian, although he knew
    his native language perfectly well. Call it freak of a genius if you
    like, but now that he is gone words, however beautiful they might be,
    are needless.

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ - I do what I love, it has never been otherwise. I
    love making animated films but I can't stand movies. Movies in general,
    and Armenian films in particular are either boring, melancholic rural
    genre, or the same boring, melancholic and in addition fake urban genre
    with impractical literary language, and unreasonable behavior of the
    actors. I've never loved the cinema and I always ask those who argue
    with me: "Do you have at least one cassette with an Armenian film
    in your house?" and the dispute ends at that. The Armenian cinema
    has never been a phenomenon. There have been some good films, but,
    largely, even they were compromising, and the causes of compromise were
    the era, censorship and mentality. But if you cast a neutral glance,
    there is hardly any motion picture that can be called an Armenian film.

    - I cannot recall fragments of the Armenian culture even in Soviet
    times. The only difference is that the same words were pronounced
    louder then. We have always had a superficial culture: everyone is
    awarded, everyone has titles, and it makes them self-conceited and
    arrogant, but in depth they are all null. The same stoc d neither by
    knowledge nor by law. The overall level of development and education
    is low; nothing has been changed regarding culture - just as bad and
    provincial as it used to be. Provinciality is a sin; it's the sin of
    provincialism. We have remained the same backyard of the empire. It's
    a shame that cultural figures and intellectuals are ignorant. And the
    crowd does not think about its antiquity and exclusivity. It doesn't
    give a damn. Crowd is always a crowd.

    - Let us recall what we have. Do not take music. Komitas Quartet
    has always existed and it will live on - there have always been
    remarkable musicians in Armenia. I'm talking of the ability to talk,
    think, discuss and explain one's standpoint. Any "cultural figure"
    can be caught unawares. For example, nobody has ever thought if
    Dostoevsky is indeed good. It is not necessary to subvert, but one
    can doubt at least. Eyes will pop out on their heads if you ask "Is
    "Gioconda" real or not, should it be hung or not, is there a mystery
    smile or not?" They can not express an opinion on it or even think
    over it. We perceive culture by blocks and with slothfulness.

    - It is absolute laziness to think that it is not for us to
    consider. We have more urgent, tangible goals - to go out, toss
    someone and be happy on that. I'm not going to recall facts, not
    because I do not know them but because everything is so purely formally
    done that to accuse anyone would be pointless. Cultural figures are
    amazingly caught at medals. Three days ago severely criticizing the
    authorities on TV, from the hands of the same authorities they take
    alms. Repair the theater and actors will support the government, do
    not repair and they'll be for the opposition. It is not my discovery;
    this is a statement of fact.

    - Tell me how to explain to schoolchildren that it's a sin to tease
    an animal if on Sundays we make animal sacrifices before the child's
    eyes. They say it's an ancient custom of ours. Then, let us go back
    to our original state and remove this ext aneous feature. Especially
    that it is very delicate - just enough to blow away.

    - I have a very reserved attitude towards Yerevan. This is my
    favorite city because it is related to my childhood and the people
    I meet every day. It is the studio on Teryan Street, where I began
    to work. It is specific buildings that I love, but it does not
    mean that I like them. Never could I understand our stock phrase
    "pink city". I generally prefer cream colour, and secondly it is
    not pink, but dirty-violet with unpleasant tint that arouses no
    enthusiasm at all. I simply love this city, but her being older than
    Rome doesn't mean she is better. That repulsive color of buildings
    is rubbish. Complete absence of aesthetics and the desire to have
    beautiful environment. I love this city but were I a tourist, I would
    never come here. Stereotypes are also terrible because poets poetized
    and profiteers that became businessmen perceived it bluntly. And so
    for the right to swim in Lake Sevan they take crazy amounts of money,
    because it is a treasure for us and better than the Mediterranean
    Sea. Five-star hotels - who ever builds these hotels? Will businessmen
    ever come to Yerevan as a tourist and pay these amounts for staying
    a day in such hotels? You can never get an answer to these questions,
    and I've already discussed the reasons.

    - At the age of 23 I wrote the following for Ara Yernjakyan, who opened
    the Chamber Theater and more and more up-to-date it is becoming for
    me: "Here in the mountains there live wonderful people. They have
    been living here for ages. This wise old shepherd was tending his
    sheep when Alexander of Macedon passed through this land with his
    troops. Alexander went further and soon died. Years later another
    Alexander, this time Pushkin, came here and met the old shepherd. He
    went further and was soon killed in a duel. And the wise old shepherd
    continues tending his sheep in the mountains. Long life and new
    Alexanders to you, old shepherd".

    - You can love Yerevan, but you needn't tell tales. Everything is
    separate: it's mountains, it' sheep, it's Rome.
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