“Life is a game, a poker game to some extent. Well, people play with closed cards, while I have always played openly, and contrary to others, who have always either won or lost, I have always won”.
Whenever passing by Vernissage many famous people and not only, call by to meet Levon Javakhyan and to ”chat a little about the world”. The writer who will turn 70 this summer, for the past 25 years has spent his day selling silver at his counter in Yerevan Vernissage.
“I have mentioned before, Juda sold his soul for 30 silver coins, while I sell the same silver to keep my soul. In some way, I am attached to silver, you know. It’s a more noble metal, than gold. Gold is tricky, luxury, while silver is beauty…”
In 2019 Javakhyan received a President Prize for his series of stories “Tsnkan Tserin” (“On the end of knee”). He says the Prize is nothing but appreciation of a lifetime, while the monetary award is in a bank, and he gets interests to serve his “family’s economic needs”. His new book is not complete yet, and one can read the new 16 short stories through Hetq.am only.
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“There is one story among them called “Zavaki mahy” (“Offspring’s Death”), which is very important to me. The Quran reads wherever you step in Quran, you will reach whatever you wish. I think I have stepped on all my books to achieve this story. It is based on a true story. Back in the 50’s, there was a “gangster” in Shnogh, who crossed the line and was eventually caught in Kirovakan and beheaded. Then his body was taken back to the village to be buried, but no one dared to attach the head to the body. Having lost faith, the gangster’s mother took a packing needle and hemp thread at night and sew her son’s head to the body. I tried for an entire year but could not get down to writing the story, but then I found the clue. What should have a mother done while sewing, she should have sung, similar to women who usually sing while needleworking. She should have sung to recreate her son. And this song eventually turned into lamenting. This is a very strong story, and the only story that I am boasting about so much…
People would turn to me saying I am not human, how could I write such a thing. Frankly, I had switched off myself. This is a mother’s image in an extreme situation and a continuation of a mother’s image. I also have another story “Mother’s letter to unworthy son – to Levon Javakhyan”. I am attached to my mother in a unique way and I think all my achievements are connected with her”.
And how about the share of attention towards children?
“I have loved my kids, but creative people are egoists. It’s true, I do not spend much time with my grandchildren, and my son keeps on saying I have never taken them out for a walk, like other grandparents do. In fact, I did once. My love to my children has not been less, but literature also takes love, and does not approve when a writer is concentrated on anything else. And this dedicated love has always been a barrier in spending much time with my children. In 1988 I used to go to demonstrations, now I am done with it. I am sick and tired of false patriotism. You will ask why I touched this topic when the question was about my children, I will say that one should love their homeland like their child. Whoever fights till the end to prove that they love their children, should love their homeland in the same manner”.
Back in 2010 for advocating peace and tolerance through his short story “Qirva” Javakhyan received Baku Tolerance Centre Prize. The society in Armenia took this fact badly, has he forgiven them?
“And again, this was because of false patriotism. Genuine literature should be human centered. One loves their homeland within certain boundaries, while literature breaks any kind of boundaries. This is cosmopolitan, but this should come from the homeland, like I come from my mother and father, I come from Lori gorge, and similarly, literature should also start with it, from where your homeland comes from, while later it should be cosmopolitan”.
Javakhyan’s another visitor at Vernissage interrupts the conversation and the voice recorder is being switched off again, a thing that happened so many times throughout the entire conversation.
Ruzan Khachatryan
The President Prize to the Republic of Armenia is initiated and funded by the Boghossian Foundation (Belgium-Switzerland). The Award Ceremony is organized by “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund. The prizes are conferred by the RA President and the representatives of the Boghossian Foundation annually.
“Aravot” daily
20.03.2020
