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SHUSHI - A NEW CREATIVE FIELD
Siranuysh Papyan
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/27917
Interview - Thursday, 01 November 2012, 11:13
Interview with art critic Lilit Sargsyan, Art Curator at Shushi
ART Project
Lilit, the Festival of Contemporary Art Shushi Art Project with its
slogan "Land and Technologies" is coming to an end. Why do artists
tend to get together in Shushi?
First, Shushi is a town of regional strategic importance both in
political and cultural terms. Since its liberation, despite having
a number of social, economic and other issues, one of the priorities
of development of Shushi has been the cultural restoration of the town.
So, numerous projects, both state and private, are being carried out
there. Shushi Art Project was a new type of contribution to Shushi
and Artsakh. Artists were very interested in Shushi as a new creative
field. Photographers had the brilliant opportunity of presenting
their works done in Shushi. On the other hand, they wanted to plant
seeds in that land and establish communication.
What is the message of contemporary art to the society?
In regard to contemporary art in Yerevan, I have to say that though
the developments are active and interesting, they seem to be going
around the same axis, and in this sense, decentralization becomes
important. What was the particularity of Shushi Art Project?
Protection and evaluation of the liberated land arouses a lot of
social issues which had never been interpreted in the contemporary
art language before, and we did it.
Was it possible to avoid nationalism?
It is impossible to avoid that, especially if the idea of land
underlies the project. But, on the other hand, contemporary art
is able to speak the common language and be consistent with human
criteria. Our project would have been meaningless if it was based on
nationalism. On the contrary, we tried to destroy the nationalistic
stereotypes accompanying the Artsakh issue. We aimed at widening the
meaning of "land" not limiting it to political notions (territory,
homeland, location).
From: A. Papazian
Siranuysh Papyan
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/27917
Interview - Thursday, 01 November 2012, 11:13
Interview with art critic Lilit Sargsyan, Art Curator at Shushi
ART Project
Lilit, the Festival of Contemporary Art Shushi Art Project with its
slogan "Land and Technologies" is coming to an end. Why do artists
tend to get together in Shushi?
First, Shushi is a town of regional strategic importance both in
political and cultural terms. Since its liberation, despite having
a number of social, economic and other issues, one of the priorities
of development of Shushi has been the cultural restoration of the town.
So, numerous projects, both state and private, are being carried out
there. Shushi Art Project was a new type of contribution to Shushi
and Artsakh. Artists were very interested in Shushi as a new creative
field. Photographers had the brilliant opportunity of presenting
their works done in Shushi. On the other hand, they wanted to plant
seeds in that land and establish communication.
What is the message of contemporary art to the society?
In regard to contemporary art in Yerevan, I have to say that though
the developments are active and interesting, they seem to be going
around the same axis, and in this sense, decentralization becomes
important. What was the particularity of Shushi Art Project?
Protection and evaluation of the liberated land arouses a lot of
social issues which had never been interpreted in the contemporary
art language before, and we did it.
Was it possible to avoid nationalism?
It is impossible to avoid that, especially if the idea of land
underlies the project. But, on the other hand, contemporary art
is able to speak the common language and be consistent with human
criteria. Our project would have been meaningless if it was based on
nationalism. On the contrary, we tried to destroy the nationalistic
stereotypes accompanying the Artsakh issue. We aimed at widening the
meaning of "land" not limiting it to political notions (territory,
homeland, location).
From: A. Papazian