On May 4, the UN Office in Armenia kicked off an individual photo exhibition by photographer Tatev Mnatsakanyan. The event was organized in the framework of “Cultural dialogue: Photographic project.” This cultural dialogue involves ethnic Armenian, Swiss, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, Lithuanian, Iranian, Egyptian, German Austrian, Russian, Czech, French, Thailand, the US, Lebanese and Uzbek famous painters, sculptors, musicians, jewelers, scientists and architects. Its main purpose of the project is to pay tribute to the famous and respectable elderly artists who deserve tribute and recognition during their lifetime. The exhibition is dedicated to the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, which is marked every year on May 21.
The photographer noted that she started photographing since 2010 and has photographed more than 100 artists from 17 countries. In an interview with Aravot.am, she said that she was familiar with most of the Armenian artists and her painters mainly depict sculptors, “An artist only creates and does not care about himself and his image. Along with this, especially the adults, due to their age feel themselves alienated and closed. I wanted to open the door when they are still alive, photograph them and show their art through photograph. With this exhibition, I am showing them to be recognized. Very many people have the works of these painters and sculptors but they do not know who they are.” Tatev told that the very first man whom she photographed was a 102 years old Armenian artist who has already passed away, “He was a genocide survivor, he was three years old and had seen and remembered everything and was telling and had no offspring, he had devoted all his live to art. However, there is no photo of him today, I decided to present the artists that are with us right now to give our respect to them right away and recognize their art. The first cooperation began with Egypt. The idea is that I am showing these artists in other countries and the artists of other countries here.”
As Tatev mentioned, it has been very difficult to convince to photograph them, “It can be said that the most difficult task was to convince them. There are artists whom I failed to convince to take photos. They have a little fear trying to understand why. But when I introduce the program and say what it is for, they agree.” Vahram Kazhoyan, the Head of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in his opening remarks said that he is happy for Tatev’s activities, “Tatev seems to have become the diplomatic face of photography of Armenia. She travels around the world showing the Armenian culture and cultural achievements, and coming to Armenia, she shows the audience the cultural achievements of our friendly countries of the international community.”
In an interview with Aravot.am, Armine Haladjian, the Head of the UN Department of Public Information Office in Yerevan, said that the cooperation with Tatev has begun long ago, “The cooperation with Tatev have started since 2003 when we announced a competition for poster on the theme of dialogue, and Tatev won the competition. The first exhibition was in 2013, this is already the second exhibition, which can be said is the continuation of the first project. The exhibition and its concept is very important in the sense that she has photographed famous artists, scientists and other cultural figures, and in the photos we can see that Tatev is particularly attentive to the elderly. As she says, perhaps she is afraid to be late and since the artists are very humble by nature, they are showing only their works staying behind the scenes, Tatev brings them into the footage. Thru their face or images, she shows the work. This is what I highlight and these people must be appreciated when they are alive rather than be remembered after death, write award posthumously. We highlight Tatev’s this kind of work”.
Arpi KIRAKOSYAN
