MY MEMORIES, MY COUNTRY
By Margaret Kemp
FT
April 5 2007 18:21
The artist Sarkis Zabunyan, known worldwide as Sarkis, was born in
Istanbul in 1938. In 1964, to widen his horizons, he decided to visit
Paris with Isil Akyuz, his young Turkish wife. They never left.
I grew up in Istanbul. My father was a butcher; my mother a
housewife. They had no schooling whatsoever and certainly no interest
in art. Armenians from Anatolia, they escaped the massacres and in
1915 arrived in Istanbul, which was then Constantinople. Because I
learned French at the Lycée Saint-Michel, a very strict Catholic
school run by priests, I became intrigued by France.
After my architectural studies at the Academy des Beaux-Arts, Istanbul,
and my marriage to Isil, a philosophy student, we both wanted to
discover the Louvre, to see real works of art such as Uccello’s
"The Battle of San Romano".
When I was young I worked in a pharmacy and seriously thought of
becoming a doctor. I would have done but I can’t stand the sight of
blood. When I discovered Edvard Munch, aged 15, I knew I wanted to
become an artist. I didn’t want anyone to know I was painting so I
studied architecture.
I have kept my mother’s house in Istanbul. It’s in the centre of
town. All her furniture is there and I’m adding some of my works,
so they can be side to side. One day I’ll probably turn it into
a museum. There are so many memories. I was a child of the second
world war and it has marked my life. We were always toiling, trying
to make enough money to survive. When she came to Paris to see me,
my mother said she didn’t know how I could live with all the odours
and constant stress but I suppose that’s what I thrive on. As Nietsche
said: "Only that which never stops hurting remains in the memory."
I am very proud that the Louvre asked me to create a concept exhibition
for them as part of Armenia Year in France.
My project is a meditation on space and time. Through video
transmission I invoke the four works that have meant the most to me
in my life as an artist: " The Battle of San Romano", "The Issenheim
Altarpiece" by Mattias Grunewald, "The Werkcomplex" by Joseph Beuys
and the painting that decided my career, Munch’s "The Scream". With
a technique never used before, three of the works are transmitted
direct from the museums where they are exhibited and projected live,
in the Louvre, on three large screens. It was not possible to transmit
"The Scream" so I show my video film tribute to Munch entitled In
the Beginning, Munch’s Eye. It’s my own virtual museum, realised with
state-of-the-art technology.
The Louvre gave me ‘carte blanche’. I like to encourage promising
young artists. Patrick Neu’s extraordinary technique, whereby he
paints "The Battle of San Romano" on smoked crystal wine glasses, is
displayed alongside my installations. At the same time I also have an
exhibition at the Musée Bourdelle and Neu exhibits some pieces. I
also invited Jean-Marie Perdrix to decorate Antoine Bourdelle’s
typical French apartment with experimental African art – awesome
pieces created using recycled black plastic bin bags, found objects
and wood, all gathered in Burkina Faso. It is part of the movement
called Yambaplast. Over there rubbish is a way of life. It makes the
earth sterile so something must be done.
I don’t own a car. I discover everything by walking or taking the
metro. My studio is a former printing factory in Villejuif. I do not
consider it to be a Paris studio in the same way I don’t consider
myself to be a Paris artist.
There’s the entire world inside. I live within walking distance of the
studio and compose works in my head while striding along the road. To
bring me down to earth I stop for an espresso in a bar where they
make the best coffee in Paris. I would know the taste blindfold. Or
I stop at Le Rebelle, where a very large chef makes the best hot dogs
in the world.
I am always pleased to return to Paris. This is because I have
developed regular habits in and around the city. I have travelled
the world and clocked up 450 exhibitions in 100 museums. Returning
to Paris, I get so much pleasure from the Pompidou Centre; the
architecture is brilliant. Also the City of Music at La Villette,
where the acoustics are so magnificent. I have just spent a few days
in Le Croissic, near La Baule. I need to be in the wilds, to feel the
wind, watch the strength of the Atlantic Ocean crashing on the rocks
and cut myself off (except for Isil) from the world. But after three
days I can’t wait to turn the lock on the door of my atelier. Looking
abroad, I am fascinated by India, China, Africa and Europe. My nature
is such that I always look on the bright side, never find it necessary
to be negative.
The Villejuif metro station always stops me in my tracks. I really like
living in Paris when I see Mario Cucinella’s design. I take people
there to see it. His focus of interest lies in the environmental
quality of architecture and I admire the play on light and space.
I lead a very simple life. I’m always working, even when I’m not
working. I love to listen to music. In my studio I have a wonderful
sound system. Then there’s the City of Music at La Villette, the
cinema, arriving home to the aroma of Isil’s cooking.
I consider myself to be a citizen of the world. I would like to witness
the opening of the frontiers between Turkey and Armenia. In France,
following Armenia Year 2007, they will celebrate Turkey in 2009. I
would like to see the French invite young artists from both countries
to exhibit their work together.
You know, my motto is "Anilarim vatanimdir – My memories are my
country".
–Boundary_(ID_C8AQm7KyZvGc+O8q OjKhsw)–