PHOTOGRAPHER AWARDED
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
11 Dec 04
On December 8 NKR president Arkady Ghukassian awarded the medal
`Gratitude’ to the Canadian Armenian photographer Hrair Khatcherian
(Bazeh). The honour was conferred on him for his contribution to the
cultural development of NKR, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary
of the national liberation movement in Artsakh. Hrair Khatcherian
thanked the head of the Karabakh republic for such a high appreciation
of his work. According to him, Artsakh is a source of inspiration not
only for him but also other representatives of art of the Diaspora.
The Canadian photographer presented the NKR president with one of his
works. After the ceremony of awarding we talked to the famous
photographer Bazeh known and loved by many in Karabakh. `I was born in
Lebanon in 1961. In 1982 I left for America to get education and in
1984 I settled down in Canada. Whyin Canada? Well, it just happened
so. In 1988 the Karabakh movement began. I was working for the
Armenian newspaper `Horizon’. One day therewas a meeting before the
Soviet embassy where the representatives of our community repeated `
Karabakh is ours, Karabakh is ours’. I went up to them and asked them
what was Karabakh. They said it was a territory which was ours, in the
20s Stalin had given it to Azerbaijan, now the people of Karabakh
seceded and declared independence. But nobody explained to me who the
people of Karabakh were. Idecided to come here and find it out
myself. 1992. No electricity. The airport does not work. The Lachin
corridor is bombed. Somehow we got to Shushi where I met excellent
guys. Unfortunately, many of they would get killed. But we becamevery
close. And three days later we went to Martuni, the border, saw the
soldiers who were of different ages, from 16 to 60.’ `You understood
then who is a Karabakh man?’ `Yes then I understood. I though if I had
left my wife and two daughters in Canada and come here I made a big
sacrifice but then I understood that I was the smallest of
them. People fought with weapon, I fought with my camera. I took
pictures of communities, churches, people and the war. I returned to
Armenia and promised to come back in 1993. But I could not. I fell
seriously ill. Doctors said I would die in 10 days. I promised that if
I went out of the hospital I would go and take pictures of the
Armenian churches of the world. It happened. In 1994 I returned to
Karabakh, already liberated. I decided not to take pictures of war any
more. It was a year of repose and return. I photographed the revival
of life. I came back again in 1996, in 1997, in 1998 and so on. In
1997 Archbishop Mesrop Ashchian, who, unfortunately, is not with us
any more, sponsored the publication of my first colour album headlined
‘Artsakh: Photographic Trip’. The album consists of four parts: the
country, the people, the struggle and the architecture. In 2002 we
created a new album, this time black and white, dedicated to the ten
years of liberation. There were a lotof exhibitions, numerous pictures
on web sites, in brief, a lot of work was done. In a way I became an
ambassador between Artsakh, Armenia and the Diaspora.’ ` After all
this does the Diaspora know what Karabakh is and who the people of
Karabakh are?’ `Most people know very well, and it is owingto people
who have been here at least once. My aim is to retain the connections
between Armenians as long as possible. I think there are no borders
between Armenians and all is our motherland. I feel good in Karabakh,
and in Armenia, and in West Armenia. When I am in Canada my soul
suffers as I have work to do here. Soon a new album will come out
which is entitled `Armenia and Artsakh in Bazeh’s Eyes’ (` Armenia and
Artsakh in Hawk’s Eyes’). I took the pictures included in it from a
helicopter. From above it is quite different. I want to show the
people of Karabakh that our motherland is beautiful indeed and not
only in the eyes of Armenians. We will by all means present the album
and exhibit the works in Artsakh. The second album is also ready. It
will be entitled `Yerkir’ (`Country’ ) and will be devoted to our
pilgrimage with Mesrop Ashchian to West Armenia. And the third album
will be the largest; it will include 360 pictures. It will be devoted
to the Armenian churches of the world. I have already been to 43
countries. It is the pilgrimage I have been going on after my
illness.’ `And why Bazeh?’ (In Armenian this word means `hawk’.) Ido
not know. This name is with me since I was 13. Perhaps God knows why
he gave me that name. Through my photos I want to thank the people of
Karabakh that they managed to defend the land of us all. I do my best.
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
11-12-2004