Famous artist Alexander Sadoyan resides in USA for 18 years. Today, he will celebrate his 60th anniversary with the family. Our conversation began with that very question.
– Some people prefer to celebrate their birthdays in “narrow” circles, and some of them prefer noisy feasts, and travelling. How are you planning to celebrate it?
– The notion about birthday is different here, where as in Armenia – quite in another way. Here, people may come not to offend you, drink a cup of coffee, whereas some are busy. There was a year that I did not celebrate it.
– Usually, on birthdays, people and artists sum up their accomplishments, get sad, and admire their achievements. What about you?
– I have never realized in my life what I wanted. Often, the time just passed, and I have not painted. If I could paint, I would have left more productive things after me. But since there was no place nor conditions, therefore I was unable to paint a lot. Whatever I paint, I did it heartedly. The most important thing is the quality, and not the quantity, it is important what you leave after you. Even if you leave two works and people remember you, it’s a great thing.
– Mr. Sadoyan, in recent years, as far as I know and follow your exhibitions, you create more on spiritual themes. In particular, I mean your series of “Churches”. Is it the age that brought you to a change of the theme, or there is another source of inspiration?
– I have repented in America, I’m a believer. Therefore, my drawings changed completely. I am painting only on spiritual themes, it’s not necessarily to paint a human. Spiritual theme is a color, a call for the color, a vibration, something like a wisdom. The important thing is to see in the painting purity, brightness and life. Why do you look at the picture, to be cleaned, don’t you? If you look and feel bad, it says nothing to you like a bad music. But, today, people have different tastes. A part like one thing, the other part – something else. Bad and good are mixed up. One does not understand which is right and which is wrong.
– You are lucky to communicate with different nationalities being in the United States. What is the attitude of foreigners living in America to spiritual themes?
– They wonderfully perceive the artists. There is no discrimination. There can be a Turkish poet but a talented one, and they would say that he is a good writer, God has granted a gift. We need to appreciate the artist. Many nations do not accept foreigners. We need to accept everyone equally. The one to decide is the personality, the talent.
– Painters often say that they have their favorite color, which has a “playing role” in all the paintings. What is your color of self-expression?
– Since I am an Armenian, I love all three colors of our flag. I like just yellow, red, and blue, I admire them. All colors have their place. I love all the colors in the world. My painting is a painting of colors. I words are in the colors, God granted and we reproduce.
– Is there an idea, a desire, which you have not managed to accomplish?
– Definitely, the creating man cannot be satisfied with the accomplishment. Every day, there is a new life, a new way, and new ideas. Tomorrow, I want to find new things in my life. You have to have your word for years. You have to say something to the world. My upcoming exhibition will be on January, in Santa Monica, in a gorgeous gallery. I need to paint endlessly. The artist should be exhibited.
– The artists’ community in Armenia is one of the symbols of our reality. Who are involved in the Armenian community of artists in the United States? What is your relationship with them? Do you communicate?
– Of course, we have good painters who have come from Armenia and reside here. My friends are Samvel Hambardumyan, Samvel Halajyan, Kiki, and Raffi Adalyan. Each of them in its kind is a talented artist. Well, we meet at the exhibitions, and we want to promote our art. It is complicated, but there is nothing impossible. If Arshile Gorky occupied America, any Armenian talented artist can achieve something here.
– Mr. Sadoyan, you are one of renowned artists in America, you had a hundred and more exhibitions. Did anyone form Armenia, in particular, the Ministry of Diaspora, the Union of Artists, congratulated you on the occasion of your birthday?
– They are not interested in painters and artists. It is not interesting to them that it is Alexander Sadoyan’s birthday, the other one is having a hard time to live. If they learned that the United Stated is applauding you, maybe tomorrow they would also say that Alexander is a good artist.
– Wouldn’t America’s quiet life hamper your inspiration?
– There is no quiet life in America. Let no one thinks that you should lie down and sleep. Here, people come to work until the end of the life. Blessed is the man who creates in this country. I feel myself fine by creating.
Ruzan MINASYAN
