Description:
KARKHACH, HD colour digital video, live recorded sound.
The video features Armenian cross-stones, known as Khachkar, from the rock-carved Geghard Monastery in Ararat province and other locations across Armenia. Khachkars are notable examples of medieval Christian Armenian art and are listed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. These carvings continue to be created today and are considered as symbols of Armenian identity. Further information here and here.
The title “KARKHACH” is derived from inverting the syllables of “Khachkar,” representing a conceptual abstraction that contrasts with the realistic imagery and symbolizes my incomprehension of the Armenian language and script. KARKHACH is the sister-video of VANYERE, also inspired by experiences of artist in Armenia.
During my participation at Cyfest 16, artist had the opportunity to visit Armenia and see the renowned Khachkar stelai. She observed similar geometric and organic patterns in architecture and everyday items, such as plates of dried fruit, which led me to contemplate the concept of time’s circularity. The kaleidoscopic vision emphasizes symmetry, rotation, and reflection, contributing to an ornamental flow that is theoretically endless and continuously evolving, much like the enduring nature of stone and the Khachkars, which are still carved in modern days. Endlessness of time.
The sound is recorded live in the Geghard Monastery (Geghardavank), in November 2024. The monastery complex, originally named Ayrivank, was founded in the 4th century and it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status. It is partially rock-caved with a sacred spring inside. Further information here.
The artist and her colleagues were only a few people in the dark of one of the halls, carved into the mountain. The atmosphere was silent and devotional when a woman started to sing “Ari Im Sokhag (Արի՛, ի՛մ սոխակ)”, a lullaby by Serj Tankian from 1915, composed on the poem by Rafayel Patkanian (psudonym Kamar-Katiba). The lyrics depict a mother who tries to lull her crying baby to sleep. She calls on the lark to help child finally sleep, but only when the falcon appeared did her son fell asleep to the sound of battle songs. It is the call of rebellion that drives the child to comfort and rest, which some draw connection to the Armenian people as a whole. (Gratitude to Rose Eisen for providing the context of the song.)
