Prior to the start of the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, the Guardian newspaper had already published an article headlined: “Monumental loss: Azerbaijan and the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century.” Written by the journalist Dale Berning Sawa, it describes the insane destruction of Armenian cultural heritage by the Azerbaijani government. The hatred against Armenians and their culture, which was established structurally by autocrat Ilham Aliyev over the course of several decades, was brutally unleashed in the war that claimed several thousand victims, many of them extremely young, in autumn 2020.
During the six-week residency titled “Ծիրան և նուռ – Apricot and Pomegranate”, Simona Winkler-Fishyan will meet six Armenian cultural professionals to ask them which narratives, customs and symbols people use to create hope and resilience in the face of multiple burdens, the consequences of war, the unstable political situation since the end of the war, and the coronavirus pandemic. The artist’s prior knowledge of Armenian symbols and customs will be expanded and explored due to its value for the younger generation. What contemporary understanding of Armenian culture exists and in which direction is it developing? How is it appropriated by young artists and reflected in their work?
The interviews with the six artists will be published in the form of a journal with an introductory text by INKFISH, a publishing house of Studio Inkfish Zurich (www.inkfish.ch).
Knowing that Armenian art and culture is endangered and is deliberately being destroyed in parts of this world, the artist would like to contribute to its preservation. This is achieved by creating visibility, because what is visible and has witnesses is not as easy to destroy.
The publication “Ծիրան և նուռ – Apricot and Pomegranate” brings current political discourses and cultural activities in and around Armenia to Switzerland. Moreover, it invites art and culture professionals from different nations and artistic disciplines to exchange ideas and participate in discourse on politics, society and culture for the purpose of peacebuilding.