Young artists work in rundown and unsafe building (video)
The apartments of a rundown building in Yerevan have become studios for a group of artists. It is already several months a group of young people have been working inside the building in most unfavourable conditions. “We do not want or expect the government to allocate us a free area. But they can rent us areas for a specific period of time so that we can be sure that we can work there for a definite period,” says Harutyun Hovsepyan, a first-year student of Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts. It is already three months Harutyun has been working in this tumbledown building with his friends. “An artist does not need castles in order to create works of art there; he only needs four walls. We fear that the building may be demolished at any moment and we constantly think that we can soon be driven out of the premises.” The student complains that there is no state support which also hampers progress. “Nor does the Ministry of Culture communicate or help artists. There is very little communication with young artists,” he adds. Harutyun says another major problem that artists are facing these days is the lack of finances for opening individual exhibitions. “I have many things to say to people but I have no opportunity to do it. They say, “Pay and your works will be put on display.” But I cannot afford it,” he says. The young people realized that they can either make money or create. They have chosen the second option and they are going to work as long as they have a roof overhead.
