We hosted Finish artist Ulrika Ferm (April 1- May 16, 2008 and 2009) and German artist Verena Kyselka (May 2-June 16, 2009) in “Art Commune” and in my studio in Yerevan. I was involved in their projects as a translator which was very interesting for me as I began to look at the reality where I was born, with their eyes and was intrigued. To continue working on the project, started in Armenia, I was invited to Berlin.
In Berlin.

Territory of Intimacy

 Transcaucasian identification in Armenia 

Project by Verena Kyuseka (Germany)
Collaboration with Mkrtich Tonoyan (Armenia) 

This international video and performance project examines the impact that heteronomy, dictatorship or self-isolation of post-socialist states in Eastern Europe have had on personal identity and interpersonal relationships over the years by comparing the developments in different states.

In Yerevan, Armenia
For my investigation I collaborate with the Armenian Artist Mkrtich Tonoyan. We conducted together video interviews and with several Armenians, who lived in Azerbaijan or Nagorno-Karabakh and became refugees just before the war with Azerbaijan over Karabakh exploded. Our questions included the memories of Azerbaijan, Azeri neighborhood, the suffering during deportation and arriving Armenia and about their nowadays opinion about the conflict. Many refugees decided to go to Karabakh. In Shushi we continued to portray refugees. We conducted interviews about their origin, family, hope, faith and collected songs about their territory, which still legally remains part of Azerbaijan.

In Berlin, Germany
Our collaboration is continued in Berlin. We translate the interviews together. The results of the project will be shown in October 2009, in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Yerevan, Armenia.

Verena Kyselka

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The weather is always good in Armenia