MAIL

E-mail us at: artcanada@canada.com Attn: Valerie Constand. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: WE PRINT E-MAIL “AS IS” MEANING WE DO NOT EDIT CONTENTS NOR CORRECT MISTAKES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE!

Zakar Zakarian: Existentialist thinker in his mind, but Classical in his work.

Zakarian (1849-1923), one of the pioneers of still life in the Armenian art, stands out by a well-balanced composition, and a soft, tranquil gamut of colors. His art was highly praised in France by his contemporaries, in particular by E. Degas. Talented and a leader in his field, well respected by eminent artists of the era and highly praised by the art critics, yet, he never made big time money when he was alive. Now, his paintings are a national treasure in France and Armenia. Many outstanding foreign artists, especially “White Russians” and Anatolians did not make it when they lived and worked in Paris. Simply, they did not fit in the Parisian societies and salons. And that is the irony of life in the “life” of many artists. You are great artist during your life, and you do not see a penny. Then, you die, and boom, sugar bunch, your name becomes immortal, and all of a sudden, after your death of course, your paintings are auctioned for millions of Dollars!

Zakarian was born in Constantinople. He received his medical training in France. He worked for some 5 or 6 years in Paris in clinics and hospitals. And when he was off work, he would spend almost all of his time visiting museums and developing friendship and contacts with artists. His source of inspiration were the French “Nature Morte” still lifes, the great French master Chardin, as well as the Dutch masters of the 18th century. He had a quasi-mysterious life enveloped by loneliness, psychological seclusion and fear of poverty. Yet, on many occasions, he acted as if he was one of those daring and out spoken existentialists, at a time, when the word” existentialist” was not yet invented.

RELIGIOUS THEMES, FEAR OF POVERTY , INNER EMOTIONAL DISTORTION AND IRONY OF DESTINY! REMAIN POSITIVE HERBERT!! REACH FOR THE STARS. YOU CAN DO IT!!

I gave up on religion and all the social values I learned from my tutor. He was a religious person but a bitter artist. He made me afraid. He told me I will never make it! He said” artists are born to suffer, do not be a sucker, go do something else.” I need to talk to you. I need your moral support. I think I am a good artist but I am very depressed now. I sit a lot by my window and think about many things that do not make sense to me anymore. I am enslaved with ropes. I cannot paint anymore, I do not want to paint anymore because it is so hard to sell my art.

I just lost my girlfriend who was a great source of inspiration for me. Everything is falling apart now. I do not go out anymore and if I do, I go and I sit under dead trees. Sometimes, I feel trapped by religious messages and pictures of churches and monasteries I dislike very much. I dislike all these stuff but I am a good Christian. Something is wrong with me as an artist not as a man. I know I am not crazy. I am trying to escape from my nightmares. The rent is due. The bills are not paid. I dream sometimes of being a king with a great power. I fantasize a lot. Is it bad or good?

Religious themes dominated many Diaspora artists works in Anatolia, Asia Minor, the United States and Europe as well. Not because the mental and artistic landscape of those artists were limited by visions, models and inspiration but, because of their religious fervor. Religion was an integral part of their life. Some were honest about it, while others cashed on it. That is life. Almost every single Anatolian artist in the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries tried to explore one aspect of the religious inspirational geography. The most predominant aspects and themes were for instance, the crucifixion, the carved stones a.k.a. Katchkars, the annunciation, the birth of the Child Jesus, etc.,

Religion motif became a national pride. Patriotic zeal became very powerful artistic expression, often nourished with hope, aspiration, fear, tragedy, poverty and determination. This truth remained immune from the hardship and effects of time and space. Fear is destructive, yet in many instances, it develops in us creativity and reverse psychology. Both, young and older artists experience this feeling, at least one or twice in their lives. Particularly, artists who come from oppressed countries. Artists who are having hard time selling their artwork. This was the case with Anatolian artists who emigrated to Europe and to the United States. Some became extremely wealthy and famous, while many others faded in obscurity and lived in absolute poverty.

Other artists discovered their source of inspiration in “La Femme”. They explored all aspects of her power and influence on their psyche, mind and the virtuosity of their hands. Some illustrated the whole body of a woman as an integral admiration for the feminine physical and emotional beauty. Others, reproduced a particular part or “zone” of a woman body for a wide variety of reasons. Some artists needed financial protection, and they found this protection in the exotic and stimulating beauty of the eyes, the breast, the back, even in the shape of a woman foot arch. You lost your girlfriend who was a great source of inspiration for you, for your art and for your whole existence. So develop a new loving relationship. Go meet somebody.

Many of those artists who lost their girlfriends did not stop painting, Herbert. Yes of course, some of their work deteriorated but some of their paintings became a masterpiece. Some paintings were realistic, while others

appeared to be extremely avant garde for the era, or for any era. For, the concept of originality and “avant-garde” remain the outer expression of visionary artists who do no think like others. So, you must begin to think differently and feel differently. Feeling is part of your art. Call it art if you want, call it innovative vision, call it whatever you want but, remember one thing: creativity is not restrained by time, space, success, fame, sex and religion. Sometimes, it is just the opposite. Feeling unique and daring creates a new world and brings a new dimension to the arts. Sometimes, you have to fight for your ideas and justified madness and overcome your emotional distress with grace and dignity.

In arts, you do it with words, musical notes and colors. Some other times, you keep your mouth shut and you explode on the inside. This is the beginning of a sad madness. Heavily burdened by this state of depression, you begin to draw weird visions and strange pictures. You feel as if you were trapped in time, space and enslaved within yourself on the inside and tied up with heavy ropes on the outside. Many artists go banana, because they can not take it anymore. So

you lose one ear! How about that?

As long as « mood » does not take over your mind and behavior, and as long as your determination to succeed remains positive, your chances increase. Simply, because in the immense universe of the arts, only positive energy can keep you going. The determination and hope to make it and to make it big should always entertain your mind. It is very possible. And why not?

You have two choices: You sit by the window or you reach for the stars. It is all up to you. Do not count on anybody. Count on yourself.

Many artists found consolation in the love of a woman. Others searched for their happiness in cheap bars and around fish markets. And their art began to smell bad. At that particular time of their miserable existence on this planet, their colors become an extension of their suffering. Their compositions begin to express their fear, arrogance, distrust of others and in some accentuated cases, they rebelled against societies rules, their teachers, their tutors and loved ones. Avoid this, if you can. Remain positive. Reach for the stars. Talk to your colors with love, hope and energy. Search for positive energy. Search for creative and constructive thoughts. Sometimes, it is good to even believe that you are the best in the world. Nothing wrong with that, if you really believe in yourself and respect your talent.

You already know, art is a divine language. And few knew how to write it and how to speak it. Art is not exclusively an expression of the inner self. It encompasses all the phases of you life, all the moments of your life, the good and the bad ones. So do not sit by the window for long time. Paint the window if you want but, paint also doors, large doors, long and infinite streets, cathedral ceilings and the face of the woman you love. And if you did not find another girlfriend yet, fantasize about her. Fantasy is healthy as long as it is not the “La Folie de La Grandeur”!

Get out of your house. Talk to nature. Feel the breeze. Listen to the whispers of the wind. Begin to paint trees hosting birds and eagles, stories and memories. Paint beautiful trees, not dead trees, for, dead trees kill in you joy, warmth and hope. Nature is divine. Humanity is divine too, if you water the plant and the tree in your heart. Avoid monotonous visions. Monotony in creativity is destructive. Art is like a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. Once, this relationship begins to lose its passion and flame, monotony begins to limit your vision, weaken your energy and limit your productivity. Creativity is influenced by harmony in your relationship and a great degree of fantasy. So be creative and fantasize. I wish you all the best. Trust me, you are going to make it. Write to me again and again and again…

MAIL: ASK ERICA

Troubled Word, Nene Gioulamirian, 1992

Varoujan Vartanian: Soumgait, 1988, Armenia