Sahak Poghosyan opines that Robert Nikoghosyan should be banned drawing everywhere
There are numerous complaints about the young man named Robert Nikoghosyan regarding the paintings made on different buildings in Yerevan. In particular, artist Sahak Poghosyan, in the conversation with Aravot.am, told, “I have never seen a terrible thing than this in my lifetime, which is served as an art. The worst thing is that he has a lot of fans and I have noticed it in various comments. I have raised the issue several times, including someone answered me on the Facebook and I explained what the problem is. First of all, there is a speculation of our intelligence or national values. The portraits of people who have left a history in the Armenian culture are painted, and when you literally say that it is bad, they forgetting about the art immediately begin talking as nationalists, no debating takes place in terms of the culture but protecting something in terms of the nation is the worst thing. These paintings have no value because people have not even seen Banksy. The Street Art is a protest against the negative phenomena in the society, while here, there is neither a protest nor an idea, they are just bad and tasteless portraits. At least, they could draw better. And if they had such a desire, let them do it in an agreed territory rather than in the public places, because the consumers of such public places are you and I and others who are against it. It is the same as, I am sorry for my language, spitting in the public place. Not everyone will like it. If they have such a great desire, let them draw it on the walls of their houses and invite people to look at it rather than impose us looking at it.”
To the question of what he expects from local authorities, the artist replied, “It’s the same as I now cut off a tree illegally. Now, this man drawing on someone’s wall illegally, in this case on the building of the city property. Let them prohibit, and accordingly, this man will go, think and be engaged in the street-art. The ban will force him to think against the prohibition, he will have to raise his voice like it was done by the Art Lab or “Counterblow” group. Eventually, he must be responsible for his actions, sometimes criminal, because street-art in all cases is an art assuming responsibility. What is done on the walls in Yerevan cannot be praised, he must be bear responsibility for littering the public places and spoiling the taste of the generations.” We inquired from the Yerevan City Hall whether the author of the paintings has the consent of the urban authorities for painting on the wall wherever he wants. The news department replied that there was a meeting with the author, he was suggested to paint in appropriate places rather than everywhere. It was also added that the chief designer of Yerevan city will give more comprehensive information upon his return from vacations. We also tried to receive a comment from Robert Nikoghosyan by sending a Facebook letter. So far, we have no response.
Gohar HAKOBYAN
Read also
Sahak Poghosyan’s Photo by German Avagyan
Robert Nikoghosyan’s photos from the Facebook
