Page 27 - DIVA_2_2013

After two years of preparation is never mentioned; he is simply I think it is a work full of poetry,
an international competition talking about trauma following full of humanity but allows us
was organized. We invited eight collective violence. We start to look to the future with confi-
internationally well-known ar- from the bottom and one is obli- dence. These lamps represent
tists from Chile, Canada, France, ged to look up to continue rea- for me a reference point on
Lithuania, Armenia, two local ding the bits and pieces of text which we can build and from
ones, etc. These artists were of scattered on the sculpture. At which we may look forward.
different nationalities and all one point we can no longer read, From the artistic point of view it
had extensive experience in the and we lift our head and eyes to is just magical.
field of public art and, not least, the sky. The texts are written in
are actually recognized figures Armenian and English. If you know the work of art or
in the world of art. We launched you know what it's all about, it
the competition and then set up Some streetlamps have one is not possible to believe what
a jury consisting of representa- branch, some have two or even you read in the newspapers. It
tives from the Armenian com- three. Every one of them is is not fair to say that it is simply
munity, of world-famous artists unique. This is also a very noti- a commemorative monument
and representatives of the city's ceable work, but can also be about the Armenian genocide
services. very discreet. This is not like -- it's something completely dif-
any monument that you have ferent.
The jury voted unanimously for already seen elsewhere at one
this project by Mélik Ohanian, time or another. It is a place you Q: Diva is a magazine for
international
Les Réverbères de la Mémoire. can walk through, or sit in, but Geneva's
also a place where you can keep community. Do you have a
Q: You read in the press an appointment or talk, have a message for them?
that this is a memorial to picnic, etc.
commemorate genocide, Tell them to look at this work
but from what you say it Q: It seems that this is a of art and to seek the message
is more than that. Do you project dear to your heart? that it conveys. I would also
share this point of view? like them to know that it is the
Yes, it is. From an artistic point Armenian community that has
Completely. The chosen work is of view I find it wonderful. It been responsible for raising the
called Les Réverbères de la Me- conveys what you would expect funds to pay for it. So I would
moire, consisting of nine street- from a work of art, or what we say, whoever you are, join in and
lamps situated in one location. could expect from an artist in assist them with the funding. It's
The artist who came up with the considering what it offers and a work of art that concerns eve-
idea reflected on the notions of if you could change a few minds rybody who has suffered from
collective violence, especially -- if that's possible. I find it a collective trauma, and who
exile and culture without ter- carries with it the idea of sha- would like to leave it behind and
ritory, and while doing so he ring an idea, talking, meeting, look forward to the future.
•
stumbled on the streetlamps reflecting. The messages that
you find in New York City that this monument
were no longer in use -- twisted sends out are not
here and there, a little broken. only addressed FRANAIS - ALLEMAND - ANGLAIS - ITALIEN - ESPAGNOL - CHJNOIS
He thought that a streetlamp to the Armenian ECOLE VARADI SA
could be an easily identified community, but ®
symbol. It is an everyday object to all communi- TURC - Le tour d'une langue en 80 heures -
that the whole world recognizes, ties -- all those IS ARABE -
found in every city in the world, who have suffered SUEDOIS - Anglais . Allemand • Chinois . Francals . Russe
+ 33 langues
and is an object to which the from collective
whole world can relate -- whe- violence. I feel pour adultes. enfants .entreprises
ther in exile or not. Finally, this that any person Dlplôme de Secretariat & Assistante de Direction - CROATE FARSI -
street lamp is seen as a refe- who has suffered Formations accél&ées en 3, 6, 12 mois
rence. He removed all functio- collective violence SERBE SCHWYZERDUTSCH - Programmes persounalisés de là 20 Ieçons per saine
Soutien scolaire toutes matlères . Remotivatlon
nalities, made it higher than could recognize Pédagogie personnalisée pour jeunes HP, 'TDAIr
normal -- eight metres high and themselves in this Horaires a in carte de 7h a 221i .7 jours sur 7 - FINNOIS GREC
multiplied them to nine pieces. work. Premier cours sans engagement
The word genocide, for example,
32, avenue de Frontenex - 1207 Genève
12 022 736 28 74 www.ecole-varadi.ch
C
ROUMAIN - PORTUGAIS - POLONAIS - JAPONAIS - HONGROIS - HOLLANDAIS