HAVESS

“We need to get out of our own narrow borders and go to the real border”

Sevan Naccashian, 2014

Artist, Painter

By Tamar Kabassakalian-Gosdanian

Havess – a mixture of passion, enthusiasm and ardour might explain what Sevan meant when she used this unique word. She used it frequently to show her appreciation of a piece of art, or her amazement of life, admiration of friends, and gratefulness for good times.

As we approach what would have been her 49th birthday, I notice more and more how Sevan’s art and talent has affected so many and has touched numerous people in the past, today, and will continue to do so for a long time. Sevan’s love towards the world of art and Armenian art is incomparable. Parallel to this, her love of Armenia, where she completed her Master of Fine Arts degree, and local Armenians was immeasurable. She had this infinite affection for Armenia and decidedly saw everything that her homeland offered through rose-coloured glasses.

An artistic, angelic woman, a pure soul who left us too soon – Sevan was no ordinary person. Her silence was mysterious, yet her eyes revealed honesty and truthfulness. She had a distinct vision of the world around her and was true to that vision. She approached everything with kindness and pure innocence.

On October 12, 2016, when she was only 47, Sevan Naccashian left this world: a life interrupted too soon. She still had so much to give, to offer, to love and above all to paint. She painted what was true to her and to her surroundings, especially her deep attachment towards her homeland.

Sevan’s life was dedicated to the arts.  She studied Painting and Graphics at the Fine Arts Academy of Yerevan, and received her Master’s degree in 1992.She participated and organised numerous art exhibitions all over North America and Armenia. Some of her prizes include: “The Leslie Coppold Prize”, The Best Artist of the Year Award by The Arts Club for two consecutive years, followed by a grant to enrol in a specialization course in Europe. Part of Sevan’s many achievements also include film making, namely the “Charents: Search for my Armenian Poet” and the “Figure d’Armen”, where she was the script collaborator; she has also been on the panel of judges for the ReAnimania: International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan.

She departed, but left ineffaceable prints in everyone’s hearts. Today, about twenty children who live in harsh conditions and life-threatening situations have hope thanks to her. They have a wonderful opportunity to take part in Sevan’s project that was simply a topic of conversation between her and Armine Petrosyan about four years ago. It was during a pleasant walk on Vardanants Street, near the cultural center Naregatsi Art Institute, in Yerevan, where their friendship began.

Armine, who is the director of the “HYE DZMER PAP” Charitable Foundation, had in mind to reach out to the remote village of Vazashen in the province of Tavush through the arts. When she shared her thoughts of nurturing and developing this community, Sevan wholeheartedly took part in organizing an art exhibition with her.

Thereafter, for months they both worked together, day and night, to build a cultural nest for the children and community of Vazashen. The first project, entitled “BORDERLESS Artists”, was an extraordinary exhibition where the works of 14 renowned artists were presented. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsziQuB6F-g, http://hetq.am/arm/news/55012/lav-kliner-or-jojery-erkar-barak-pochery-dzerqy-grpannery-tanein.html ). The project was a great success! The funds amassed through this exhibition were used to invest in building chorranots (“dryers for food”) for the farmers’ use, so they would be able to dry their fruits and vegetables to sell or to preserve longer. Vazashen’s land is very fertile, however due to their poor and out-dated equipment most of the produce goes to waste. As Armine has mentioned several times, the citizens living in these border villages who are protecting us, need to be reassured that they have support from the rest of Armenia, and therefore it is important to give support to these villagers.

But Sevan wanted to offer more. Since art has therapeutic benefits, she thought it would be great to offer the children a serene area to draw, to paint and to create. She imagined artists going to Vazashen to teach the arts to the children. She would tell Armine havessov gertank g negarrenk: “Let’s paint in all ardour”

But, alas! Sevan was not able to witness the results of her dream project.

 

On July 16, 2017, I visited the school of art in Vazashen. The art class, inaugurated on March 17, 2017, was Sevan’s vision that had become reality. The walls resonated her innocence and love for the arts and Armenia. Sevan’s “Havess” class came into action with the help of her colleagues, friends, artist-friends, and non-profit organizations, as well as her family.

In Vazashen, a village in Ijevan that borders only 900 metres away from Azerbaijan, there is an unusual kind of Armenian population, one that is strong despite everything, one who is guarding our borders, and one where the life of its citizens is in life threatening situations on a daily basis!

Vazashen’s only school has currently sixty-seven students. Unfortunately, there is a significant amount of people who migrate to neighbouring cities or regions, especially since 2014 when the school was struck by gunfire from the border. One child was killed. Thus, the emigration rate has reached 47%! This devastating situation hits hard in a small community, and therefore the school’s population dropped from 110 to 67. Their daily life is difficult; they can barely survive with what they have; their future is uncertain, and therefore they prefer living elsewhere in Armenia. Even during peacetime, snipers from the border fire frequently, and it is under such dangerous conditions that the villagers live. Thankfully, non-profit organizations such as “Hye Dzemer Pap”, “Yerkir Media” and Awesome Foundation give a helping hand by supporting and financially contributing to the needs of those living in Vazashen.

While giving us the tour of the school, Garineh Tanyelyan, the vice-principal of the school, explained to us that the school has not only earthquake drills but also attack drills. Therefore in case of an outbreak the children know exactly what to do and where to go. “The children are strong here,” she says. “They have seen so much!”

Of the sixty-seven students, twenty take part in this spectacular art class that is created in Sevan Naccashian’s memory. Mariam Sarhadyan is their talented art teacher who works seven days a week and teaches them from colour scheme use, to drawing, painting and even miniature handmade art. The children are provided with the necessary material to escape their reality for a few hours a day. They have also had the opportunity to meet art students from other parts of Armenia, notably the Areknazan Waldorf school of Yerevan. The Areknazan students visit the Havess art class regularly. They painted a wall in the main hallway of the school, making it a more welcoming place. The exchanges made through this project give a chance to the children of Vazashen to communicate with new friends. They feel fortunate to have such an opportunity to learn, to meet, and more essentially, to grow. The students now have the means to discover and nourish their talents. Some are even opening doors for their future. This hope would not have been possible without Sevan’s input. She planted a seed that has prospered fruitfully. “This room resonates her light, her spirit,” says Armine, and she adds, “all of this is possible because I know that Sevan is helping us from above.”

“Hye Dzmer Pap” and “Yerkir Media”, both non-profit organizations, continue their efforts in developing and sustaining Vazashen’s community; helping the village on many fronts. Some of their projects include offering technical tools to enhance bee keeping and providing new modest homes to the villagers of larger families.

As we were parting this incredibly resilient group of people (of all ages) who had greeted us and made us feel so welcome, I turned around to say one more goodbye, when Asdghig Mkhitaryan, a 65 year-old woman, who was born in Tavush and who protects these children as though they were her own, conveyed words that remain printed in my heart: “Yes, do come again, our doors are always open, but until then, be safe! Don’t worry about us and know that we are here protecting our borders.”

Sevan jan, your spirit lives on! It gives the children of Vazashen strength and hope. Your talent remains an inspiration to these children and to all of us! Your wonderful initiative has become a reality; one that has created new opportunities for these children to dream, to persevere and perhaps to even flourish into a future they never thought would be possible.

To learn more about Sevan Naccashian and her work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7BkYdsibA4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsziQuB6F-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7BkYdsibA4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8nkghs_1-c&t=12s

http://theartsclub.org/en/gallery/12/127-naccashian-sevan.html

http://www.fortgreenefilmworks.com/projects_charents.html

 

 

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1kvg1_xNZg

http://www.aaauction.am/arm/news/charity/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTh7cZa1RJ8

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