"March 1 was not to occur"
The paintings of Armenian talented artist Mardiros Badalian are not sold as "they have a national value and are very expensive."
A1+ interviewed the painter on cultural and political issues.
-Culture is boiling in our country. If you do not believe me I can give you a book by the Union of Painters. You can contact any painter and arrange a meeting with him in his workshop. New-comers are generally astonished after seeing the works.
Does the Ministry of Culture assist artists?
I don't know. I am not interested either. You can come and see that I sit the whole day in the workshop painting. I shall be glad if the Ministry helps us. And I shall help them to open an exhibition abroad.
And who will organize the exhibition?
Cultural people though I know that it is difficult. We have too many talented painters. Whenever I receive foreigners at my workshop they get surprised seeing my works throughout the workshop.
How do you live then?
I am delivering lectures and educating our future generation.
Are you well paid?
Our country is regressing. People get lower salaries. Even doctors who save human's life are poorly paid in our country.
Do you think that an intellectual has a right to run for the City Council?
I hate politics. I am sorry to say that a person dealing in politics is untalented. He either doesn't like his specialty or is in search of something.
Do you mean to say that an intellectual can be engaged in politics?
Each person has a right to everything. I have no time to look through newspapers. I hardly manage reading books as I hurry from work to the workshop. How can I deal in politics?
Could the intelligentsia prevent the March 1 unrest?
No, they couldn't. As a rule, oligarchs settle issues in our country. Intelligentsia can do nothing. But I have said many times that the events of March 1 were not to occur in Armenia.
What's your opinion of the amnesty?
The word amnesty already implies some generosity. It is the best word circulated in recent years. Anyway, everything should be justified. Let them amnesty the innocent. A murderer is amnestied while a war veteran is kept in jail simply for voicing his political stance. The proportion is upset.
Knarik Isoyan
