Interview with Issue #5 Cover Art’s Artist Vahag Hamalbashyan
October, 2024
I’m sitting down with Vahag Hamalbashyan, Armenian artist, who was born in Gyumri but moved to Yerevan shortly after the 1988 Earthquake. We’re at the Irish Pub on Ghazar Parpetsi Street. The last time I was here five years ago, 2019, was before the government decided to seriously enforce the smoking ban. Armenia had outlawed smoking in restaurants but never truly enforced the ban until after I moved back to the US. Now, I can actually smell the pub’s wood, like the classic Irish pubs in Ireland.
Vahag accepted ThisThatLit’s invitation to share his art for Issue #5’s cover art. Issue #5 is a re-beginning of my and Russ Thorburn’s literary magazine, founded in Ishpeming, Michigan in 2019, then moved to Marquette, then the lit mag went on hiatus after I left the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for work down in Dearborn, Michigan near Detroit. We have started up the lit mag again. I have moved to Yerevan, Armenia while Russ Thorburn is in Marquette, Michigan. For Issue #5, Russ recruited some of his fellow poets from the Detroit area, where Russ is from, to collaborate on the topic of Big Pink, a house where Bob Dylan recorded back in the 1970’s. Issue #5 shows what ThisThatLit is about: a space to collaborate with friends or other poets with common ground or over a common experience. Our past issues, also, show this concept of collaboration. Check out the archive.
After our beers arrive, I ask Vahag a few questions about the new movement on optimism among a group of Armenian artists in Armenia. Do enjoy the interview.
Why optimism? How does the war influence this movement towards optimism?
Vahag Hamalbashyan: In Armenia, after the war of 2020, there was a huge epidemic of pessimism. The thing I was, I was thinking, that we have to consider our lessons from what happened in the war. And the thing is that we need to do something positive. Because, the way it was going in the country, the level of optimism and positivity, was depleting. I decided that if I started to think in the way that everyone was thinking, getting upset at almost everything, I would be hurt psychologically, so I decided to go the other direction. I did not want to lie to people about my own worries, but I wanted to make them, even the smallest percentage, to think about the future, instead of all those terrible things that happened to us, it would not be the end of us. You see, the Armenian people, in general, can have a mentality that we love to think about dead people. In my way, I started to think about living people. Living people need positivity, optimism. That is why I was thinking that if I give some small, small, small percent of positivity to all people to look at my art and get even a tiny, tiny drop of positive, there could be an ounce of change to shift things. So, in this way, I am getting a tiny drop back. And, also, I was thinking that my mental health would be good for me and my family. In Yerevan, Armenia, the world surrounding us was overrun with too much negativity. The thing I learned is that you need to look at the future and go further.
Tell me about your process in creating art. What is that like? Please share.
Vahag Hamalbashyan: Usually, my studio day starts with a coffee, which I buy on the way to my studio. And when I am going to my studio, I sit and ruminate about things. It’s not about politics or the state of the country. I usually listen to the news about football or some artistic news or I play something on Youtube about world history. And during that time, through these shows and podcasts, I feel myself ready to get up, stand up, start my work. At some point, I am not controlling the process. It goes on its own.
What artists influence you and your art?
Vahag Hamalbashyan: I am getting inspiration from everywhere. I could say some names, but I do not want to say them because all artists – it sounds strange – but I like all periods of art, starting with cave art. I cannot say because it would be unfair to others.
Is there anything else you want to say about the world?
Vahag Hamalbashyan: Maybe, I am too romantic, but I hope that kindness, positive things will win out, like they won after WWI, like after WWII, and now as it is the WWIII hopefully after this it will be a long time, long time of having peace and happiness all around the world. Maybe it is very simple, but that is – I think – maybe the largest percentage of humanity wants peace. I want it too. And, of course, the most important thing that I really, really want, is that my kids live in a peaceful country, a safe country. I want Armenia to become exemplar for all the world for democracy, independence to be looked at. I want my children to live in that country.
What is the painting title? What is it about?
Vahag Hamalbashyan: The painting is just the simply, very simply about Yerevan. I painted it about a year ago, 2023. I call it Yerevan Renovation. It’s about the city I live in; it’s about good things; it’s about giving everyone positive things, all around me, my friends, all.
I thank you for allowing ThisThatLit to use your art and share your thoughts to our readers.
Vahag Hamalbashyan: It warms my heart that I have my artwork on ThisThatLit.
Mersi axpers (Thank you, Bro).
Vahag Hamalbashyan: Kez em mersi (And thank you). Finally, we are out for a drink!
The interviewer is me, Alex Vartan Gubbins, the founder and managing editor of ThisThatLit.