Karine Paronjanc: An Absolutely Armenian Artist in Latvia

I believe I was able to complete this really cool hobby in time, prioritize and fully dedicate myself to painting. After all, behind this extravaganza of dance was also a huge administrative work, irregular schedule, terrible physical and emotional overload. But there remained incredible memories of youth and a fantastic collection of stage photo shoots. I know what to surprise my daughters with.

Do I feel nostalgic for that life? No! Not even the urge to blow someone away with my dance moves at a friend’s party. Although my body still remembers and that’s great!

I will tell the truth: with the dance theatre I earned much more than I earn now being engaged in highly intellectual labor, preparing art projects and exhibitions. But I treat it philosophically and with humor. That is the way our modern world works. I always know that the best works will be written on the table, the salon work will be bought sooner or later and I will be able to afford to create in the name of art again. Such is life. Recently, though, life has started to spoil me a bit, I have a circle of regular customers who give me the opportunity to create.

Have Latvian art critics seen something Armenian in your work?

For Latvia, I am an absolutely Armenian artist, such a typical Caucasian woman. It is both interesting and difficult at the same time, to be everywhere not completely one’s own. For Armenians, I am almost a gothic Latvian, there is indeed a lot of Latvian in me. As I always joke, I am an Armenian of Baltic “spillage.” But for Latvians I am an absolute exotic, a bright, not always understandable spot on the background of a delicate grey landscape. I think this multiculturalism, this interesting genetic cocktail is my main strength. You cannot see it directly, but I have the opportunity to be at the crossroads, to see and broadcast my Armenian culture from the outside.

The genetic memory of blood keeps images of centuries-old Armenian miniature with fanciful ornaments of birds, letters and oriental motifs. Multiplied by the childhood fascination with Riga’s Jugend (ed. Latvian Art Nouveau style), these images are transformed into oriental fairy tales with a Latvian accent.

Does your fascination with depicting watermelons connect to your Armenian heritage too?

Of course! I even joke sometimes when people ask what I do, I answer that I sell watermelons. The “Watermelons” collection has taken a special place in my creative biography: the watermelon-shape “lotus” has become not only my trademark, but also the most recognizable image of my art.

I also had a series of works “Love and kebabs.” And there from watermelons only seeds remained – graphic, black, carelessly scattered on white discs of elegant plates, reminding of ignorant and hurried participants of the feast. The feast is over.

Paronian is the surname of a great Armenian satirist of the 19^th century. Where are your roots from?

Yes, in Yerevan, just at the intersection with the street named after this satirist is my favorite house-museum of Sergei Paradjanov. I remember when I asked a taxi driver how to get to the Paradjanov Museum, he guided me: “Go straight on Paronian and you will come to Paradjanov.” I still laugh on this phrase!

My roots are from ancient Armenia, my ancestors fled the genocide of 1915 from Ani, the capital of old Armenia, and ended up in the northern Caucasus. And later, my grandfather, being a kind of Armenian dandy, in search of a beautiful European life, ended up in Latvia. To move to Baltics was a very brave and freedom-loving decision. The old generation of Armenians knew and remembered my grandfather Sergey Paronjanc well. He was a very charismatic man of a wide soul; he helped many people and did a lot for Armenians. Of course, he also had an Armenian style of having fun. Old-timers humorously called him the Armenian ambassador to Latvia.

My grandmother’s brother (whose family was also miraculously saved during that terrible time) became a famous professor in Moscow, headed the chair of light industry. Books and textbooks written by Yervand Melikov are still in active use.

I have many relatives in America, and we not only survived, but also managed to get a good education and make a career. This is the trick of history: they wanted us to be wiped off the face of the earth as a nation, but in the end, we were scattered all over the world and our Diaspora is very strong.

On my mother’s side, I have Siberian Latvians and Russian Old Believers — Filipovs from the colorful city of Daugavpils (the birthplace of the famous American artist Mark Rothko). Both of them were fully affected by Stalin’s repressions, because, as we know, the regime always mows down the best ones.

The Armenian community in Riga is small, but it is rich in interesting people. How would you assess its creative potential?

There are many interesting people among Armenians in general. But I believe that our strength lies in our unity, which we often lack. Every Armenian thinks of himself as a prince (one can understand that – we are descendants of the Great Armenia), but sometimes one should be able to step off of his personal ambitions for the sake of the common good.

Do you pass on Armenian traditions to your children?

Yes, of course. Blood is not milk. Roots are extremely important. It is the foundation; it is the connection with one’s ancestry. It is a great strength. We attend Armenian Sunday school together with our children. This sense of belonging is very important for me. My ancestry gives me my strength!

I am sure you have creative plans related to Armenia.

An exhibition in Armenia is a matter of the heart, not work, and certainly not business. Art and business in general are often mutually exclusive.

There are hints, plans and worthy acquaintances with extremely informative people, whose very communication is a great honor and spiritual value for me. Yerevan gave me a great number of incredible meetings. In many respects and thanks to you, dear Artsvi. Communicating with such people is enriching.

I hope to please you with information about my solo exhibition in Yerevan in the nearest future. The work in this direction is in progress!