`The Idea Is Very Good, but the Implementation Is Very Bad,' About the
New Statues in Yerevan
http://www.aravot.am/en/2012/11/16/131252/
NOVEMBER 16, 2012 17:02
Unpleasant stories about the statues of famous Armenians that have
appeared in the capital recently continue. As we have already
informed, yesterday the leg of Hrant Matevosyan Statue was broken off.
They wanted to take a photo with the statue, sat on it and broke it
off.
At the end of the day, can we call what has happened to the statues
cultural vandalism or the reason for problems was the fact that
statues were made of a material that is easily broken? www.aravot.am
discussed this issue with a set of sculptors.
Sculptor Davit Minasyan advised not to blame persons, unless there was
evidence, and went into detail, `The reason for these problems is that
the idea is very good, but the implementation is very bad.'
In response to a question whether we could consider the incident
cultural vandalism or not, Mr. Minasyan said the following, `Dear
folks, vandalism is a more important historic phenomenon. So wicked
things happen around us, and we focus on statues... this is a technical
problem, this is not cultural vandalism.'
Sculptor Levon Tokmajyan, nonetheless, considers the incident cultural
vandalism. At the same time, he says, `Certainly, the material of
statues is also a cause of breaking. However, I condemn that
phenomenon in any case. We should implant in ourselves that in any
case, a man worked on it and did as much as he could. It is a positive
thing, the city authorities want the statues to be among people, enter
their everyday life, they see, love and respect them. However, we
suddenly see that they break off a finger, a leg. This is
unacceptable. You can assess it, as you want, but it is a crime,
anyway. It is a different matter whether the work of art is good or
not. If you don't like it, don't look at it, don't touch it, at the
end of the day, art is subjective. It is not like everyone will start
to applaud at once, they look at it for the second time, discover new
things etc. If the city authorities see that it is not good, it is not
liked, they will replace it with something else. However, one mustn't
smash them.'
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
From: A. Papazian
New Statues in Yerevan
http://www.aravot.am/en/2012/11/16/131252/
NOVEMBER 16, 2012 17:02
Unpleasant stories about the statues of famous Armenians that have
appeared in the capital recently continue. As we have already
informed, yesterday the leg of Hrant Matevosyan Statue was broken off.
They wanted to take a photo with the statue, sat on it and broke it
off.
At the end of the day, can we call what has happened to the statues
cultural vandalism or the reason for problems was the fact that
statues were made of a material that is easily broken? www.aravot.am
discussed this issue with a set of sculptors.
Sculptor Davit Minasyan advised not to blame persons, unless there was
evidence, and went into detail, `The reason for these problems is that
the idea is very good, but the implementation is very bad.'
In response to a question whether we could consider the incident
cultural vandalism or not, Mr. Minasyan said the following, `Dear
folks, vandalism is a more important historic phenomenon. So wicked
things happen around us, and we focus on statues... this is a technical
problem, this is not cultural vandalism.'
Sculptor Levon Tokmajyan, nonetheless, considers the incident cultural
vandalism. At the same time, he says, `Certainly, the material of
statues is also a cause of breaking. However, I condemn that
phenomenon in any case. We should implant in ourselves that in any
case, a man worked on it and did as much as he could. It is a positive
thing, the city authorities want the statues to be among people, enter
their everyday life, they see, love and respect them. However, we
suddenly see that they break off a finger, a leg. This is
unacceptable. You can assess it, as you want, but it is a crime,
anyway. It is a different matter whether the work of art is good or
not. If you don't like it, don't look at it, don't touch it, at the
end of the day, art is subjective. It is not like everyone will start
to applaud at once, they look at it for the second time, discover new
things etc. If the city authorities see that it is not good, it is not
liked, they will replace it with something else. However, one mustn't
smash them.'
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
From: A. Papazian