The last guest of "Diary" this year was the president of the Union of Writers of Armenia, novelist Hrant Matevossian. Below, with some abbreviations, we bring to the readers' attention the conversation between the great novelist and journalists.
"Diary" questions
- During the existence of the third republic of Armenia, our artists, writers, painters, composers do not seem to find their place. They appear in one policy... In short, it seems that they are involved in everything except art. In your opinion, does the intellectual have a place in our reality? And what is that place?
- The question is a bit worn out, and I touched on that question, and perhaps I will repeat it this time in my best resolution made in this regard. The era is changing. We have not made a transition from the second republic of Armenia to the third republic, but we have made a transition from one epoch to another. After the revolution, we were canned, we were lagging behind the world, and suddenly the gates were opened. The world rushed into us, we rushed into the world. The republic with an ideological nature immediately appeared in a different state, in a different environment. And in that environment, we are all confused, both intellectuals and politicians. I myself missed clean squares, depoliticized language, depoliticized behavior, the ordinary life of a citizen. If we are a little honest in front of our conscience, we should see that today's situation, when the famous writer and artist is gone, was the same yesterday. The desert did exist yesterday too after all. There seemed to be a large amount of Armenian literature, but again there was none. Those personalities didn't exist. Even now we are shocked and confused by our reality. And for every slightly tolerable text, I'm glad that people are able to find themselves and say something. I was happy and am still happy that Razmik Davoyan was able to continue "Requiem". It is very good that he was able to overcome and write the second part of "Requiem". Although the latter has neither the energy of the former, nor the freshness of a youthful outlook. There are several more authors. For example, Agassi Ayvazyan. Did I leave the question?
- I am interested, do you consider the existence of a non-ideological state possible?
- If capitalism is an ideology, if capitalism is not something natural, then there cannot be non-ideological states. But in my opinion it is not an ideology.
- But in any case, any reality needs formulation. And the main formulators are writers and artists. But today's Armenia is not shaped in art, and its future is not shaped either.
- We were confused from the first days. When independence was granted, we didn't seem excited because no one understood what was happening to us. Reality did not enter our linguistic thinking, it did not become a word product for us. Reality took its course, and the perception of reality through poetry, prose, and political parties took a completely different course. Reality was not given to us. We were unable to take reality into us. Journalists sometimes accuse writers and intellectuals of avoiding reality. But it is not a sin. The harsh reality was either not given or given with difficulty to the writer.
- Now, does the writer, the intellectual in Armenia know what he is doing, does he see what he is doing, does he have an idea about it?
- From my experience, from my feeling, I can say that I do not see my reader. I don't see that girl sitting at the end of the alley, reading my book on her knees, and I'm a hero to her. I'm afraid we're all lost. But I think it's a temporary situation. Let's hope that the people will see their perspective again and the values will return to their place.
- In other words, just as time pushed the artist out, so will it bring the artist back?
- Maybe. But today's reality is our misfortune, and I wanted not to be alone in that misfortune. A group of journalists came from France, I asked if your books are not read. He calmly took out his notebook, counted and said that 1 million 200 thousand copies of Camus were sold in France during the last years. In fact, the French journalist left me alone in my misery. But in general, the role of the book is decreasing, and not only here. It's like that all over the world. And it's not the writer's fault. Some people record the imperceptible death of Armenian literature, but in fact it refers to all literature. I see the death of the book. Sometimes I think that the fault is ours, that we should be able to force the book on the public. As, in fact, Camus imposed. But very few of us endure.
- You said that you notice a decrease in the influence of the book. Then what will replace the book in our life?
- Gevorg Emin used to say that Levon Ishtoyan's leg replaces my head. He was hurt. But no need to be offended. Levon Ishtoyan's leg gave the public the emotion that Emin's head would take. And that emotion can be provided by many things: television, cinema, street design, cars, the way girls walk, clothes. All these come to satisfy the emotional lack that the people received in their half-worn clothes yesterday from Nairi Zaryan's "Hatsavan". Against the background of new realities, such a group of writers will emerge that will be able to turn all this into a platform for themselves and rise above that reality. As the figures of yesterday rose against the background of yesterday's grayness. I am sure that the writer will not die, literature will not die.
- During the last year, there have been events about which your opinion is still unknown.
- In the old, good, good times, when there were no political disputes and political conversations were only casually developed, I said that if I created a conservative party, I would create it. I will go back further and say that my attitude towards independence was reserved. I did not enter the third republic with applause, but with fear and dread, because I saw the losses that are increasing with enormous momentum today. At that time, I could see that the people were packing their suitcases. People's minds and hearts were outside. Then, even then, the main part of the income was obtained from foreign work. There wasn't that much work here. This land did not hold so many people. It is natural that a person had to leave this country to see his head. I was apprehensive about it all. A small shock was needed for that fragile body that was formed in a way, which was called the country of Armenia, to come to a stage and collapse. I was scared about it. Neither Levon Ter-Petrosyan, nor Thas and the "politicians" who live with their egoism were the light of my eye, be it Zori Balayan or Silva Kaputikyan. There was a ruthless attitude and it was all stupidity, and I have been reserved in my attitude.
My friend the artist Hakob Hakobyan used to say that what happens here is decided elsewhere. I was offended that he reserved the role of our country as an object and not as a subject. But he was the right one. As for the recent times, I have a big concern. Nothing happening is tolerated here. Neither the existing democracy nor the existing dictatorship are tolerated in our country. Outside forces do not tolerate peace here. They are able to draw us to their side by cheating and bribery. This is correct. This is what the first district embodied by Levon Ter-Petrosyan shows, that they were able to discredit, spread mud, and spoil it through Vazgen Manukyan. Now it's Robert Kocharyan's turn. You will see that they will not tolerate this either. The great powers will destroy this peace by anyone, in order to ensure their prosecutorial presence here. I am in favor of peace even for a dictator. I am scared and worried about every shock.
Other media issues
- Robert Kocharian established the "Golden Reed" literary award with his decree yesterday, what do you think about that award?
- I have to start from a little distance. Years ago I was given a comedy award. Vardges Petrosyan of Lusahog was very worried that the award was not given to him. They organized the night, they put a note on the table of the first secretary of the Central Committee, where they described me as a drunkard and immoral. Stepan Poghosyan, secretary of the Comerit Union, tells the story. He says that Kochinyan called him early in the morning and told him the story. Stepan Poghosyan also said that the award should be given neither to him nor to him. Neither Vardges nor Hrant. What do I want to say... There was little garbage, and now they thought of this award.
This award will soon be discredited among us. Then the mechanism to get the deserving one is not clear. If there is no worthy person, let them not give an award that year either. It will be discredited... How were the medals discredited? They distribute them in boxes, and very soon the chests of the entire population of the republic will be decorated with medals.
Who is to decide which of the writers is deserving? Will the victorious general Robert Kocharian decide? Form not found again. Maybe it would have been more correct to put a little money in the pocket of a couple of writers so that they could relax for a couple of years and just write. Levon Khechoyan, for example. If they are going to give it to him, let them give it as a prize.
- What is your attitude towards Robert Kocharyan?
- I got two best impressions from Kocharyan. One during the interview with the Russian TV journalist Karaulov, and then when Kocharyan was the Prime Minister of Armenia. I have no business after him.
- Why don't you write now?
- To be honest, the pen fell from my hand. The main reason is the absence of the girl sitting in the alley reading my book on her knees. I lost him. Maybe he is, but I've lost him. Paruyr Sevak's volume with 60,000 copies was sold out in one day. And now Sevak's 6th volume is priced at 6 thousand drams, and they don't buy it. This is a big hit. 2000 copies were printed in Charents, 500 copies were either sold or not.
There is another reason. I have no place to sit, to isolate myself, to be blind from our reality. Can't get my ears off that '88 noise. I can't get rid of that reality. I don't know who is going to help me get back to my awesome job. I would like to go back to it.
"Diary", 26.12.1998