Artist Zhora Barseghyan believes that a person’s potential becomes evident from the moment they begin taking their first steps.
If they perform their steps, hand movements, and gestures in a calculated manner, these already become cultural phenomena.
“There are children who, even if you tell them something 10 times, won’t understand, but there are children who, when you say one word, shortly after give you the correct answer. In my opinion, cultural value is formed genetically in the child, but the environment changes one person in one way, another in a different way.”
Our artist beautifully notes that human body language and movements can form cultural layers from the very beginning of life. This recalls the idea that even our simplest expressions can carry symbolic, cultural weight.
“If someone were to wake me up at night and tell me I belong to another nation, I would eliminate him if possible, myself along with him, I would not accept such a thing. Not because I’m an egoist or narcissist, but without the national element, you have nothing to do, nothing to breathe, you have nothing.”
He explains that in all cases, national and spiritual love is placed at the end; you can make several wounded figures, but put love and emotions inside, and thus complete that painting.
The eighteenth part of the “Mystery of Creation” film series, implemented within the framework of the “ZArt” cultural project by Iravaban.net, reveals a unique world of thought, sensitivity, and struggle hidden within art.
“ZArt” has a special mission: to build a bridge between art and society. The project aims to present Armenian artists and their exceptional works not only to Armenian society, but also to the diaspora and abroad, promoting the popularization of art and recognition of artists. Through this documentary series, society draws closer to art, while artists draw closer to society, creating a beautiful space of cultural understanding.
“Purity is needed even in speech; freedom is not yet purity. Freedom—people say one thing and pull to one side, get corrupted, corrupt the nation. If you write one wrong word in history, you corrupt history. Purity and movements worthy of creation are needed in everything.”
For our hero, true freedom is when speech is constructive, pure, and serves creation, not destruction.
Speaking about the concept of homeland, the artist emphasizes its importance and insists that outside the homeland, a person’s air does not suffice. He tells how he was fortunate to paint Nzhdeh in a short time. He managed to obtain the book “Nzhdeh” by an author named Avo overnight, and with friends they printed 2 copies from the book: “Reading the book, we decided that Nzhdeh must be brought, we brought him, they didn’t give him a place. We appealed to Vazgen I, he didn’t give us a place in the courtyard of Gayane Church. Sos Sargsyan and I had gone, it was good that they didn’t burn us… Many disputes took place, but Nzhdeh rested in his native soil, that was his wish.”
Details in the video.
The originator and leader of the “ZArt” cultural project is Karen Zadoyan, and the author and director of “The Mystery of Creation” video series is Vazgen Ghukasyan.
