A Tete

After having published an art critique of the paintings of Alexander Sadoyan, heavy mail from around the globe poured over our desks asking for more personal information about this phenomenal artist.

We did expect a warm reaction, for the critique was passionate and Sadoyan’s art appealed to international art communities. But, we did not anticipate such a constant and heavy fans and art lovers mail about Sadoyan the man and the artist. Thus, we had to interview him, even for a brief tete-a-tete.

Dream 1u

Alexander Sadoyan as artist views the world with a philosophical eye. His perception of the world captures the passages of life and the human inner feelings with a warm heart. He paints and sees our human universe with a mind and a heart. He talked to us about metaphysics, God, inner reality, ups and downs in his career, difficulties of the art trade in an artist life and business, his understanding of the apparent and secret meanings of colors, about divination, and so many other themes and topics.

He did not elaborate in his answers. He was brief to a certain degree but, his sincerity, his deep thoughts, his Jean-Paul Sartre philosophico-artistic approach to life, his positive attitude during tough times, his spirituality and the generosity he is know for shined crystal clear in those brief answers and his eloquent silence.

Dream 2

While asking the questions and re-viewing his answers, we sailed deeper in the spiritual and philosophical universe of Sadoyan. It was so interesting to embark on such journey, for we began to learn more and more about this gentle, generous, decent, creative, philosophical and phenomenal artist.

We were touched by his humility, for his art does not reveal humility. On he contrary, his art is the expression of an Arthurian knight with spears, daggers and a wild horse. His strokes are powerful, his colors are oratorical and his compositions are energetically revolutionary at an intellectual and aesthetical level. Grosso modo, his art is not modest.

From reading and re-reading the interview with Sadoyan, we began to learn more about difficulties artists encounter in their life. Especially, when an artist is an outstanding master of lights, shadows and colors, yet, he is not amassing a fortune or even selling enough. We knew so many artists in our business. Some were illustrious and others were on their way to make it big one day. Regardless of their financial strength and artistic status quo, they had many things in common: When is my next show? Did my agent sell anything or enough this week? Am I getting any new exhibitions in the horizon? How to cover expenses? How to pay bills? How can I reach a larger audience? Can I get a first class show at famous galleries? Do I have to re-design my brochures and paintings catalogues? What should I paint next? I need money as fast as yesterday. That is true. Even Pablo Picasso was very concerned with the sale of his paintings. Constantly, he fought with his agents in New York and London. He worried all the time about new exhibitions, press articles, unauthorized biographies, gossips, income, sales, financial security, investment, yet he was at the top of the world. We could sense those concerns in Sadoyan’s answers. But, this fine human being and outstanding artist looked upon life and certain sales or financials mishaps with a heroic attitude. He was polite and gentle in his answer, when we asked him about financial difficulties usually artists encounter and constantly go through in their career. He simply said, “I have to keep on painting and in the same time, I have to do something else. I have to work.”

Sadoyan told us also about his understanding and interpretation of the meanings of colors. It was quite a unique interpretation, for Alexander Sadoyan through that interpretation, and indirectly or indirectly, his mind, his soul, his intellect and his humility were able to shed lights on his religious beliefs without talking about religion. Sadoyan’s interpretation shed lights on his character and psyche without submitting himself to a Gestalt test.

His interpretation of colors told us a lot about what influenced his visions of the world and how various ideologies of varied societies, ethnic groups, religions, ethno-ecological conceptions have shaped Sadoyan’s Cosmos. Rarely we meet artists who see in “red” a “personal identification”, in “black” the symbol of “courage”, and in “red” again, “precision, correctness and ascertainment”. But Sadoyan extended himself to reach for a cosmic interpretation of colors and shadows of colors. He saw in “yellow” the symbol of wisdom, as did Budhist monks and Mahayana and Nihayana sages centuries ago. He saw in “green” the meaning of divination as did the magi and alchemists of Hamurabi, Babylon, Assyria, Cilicia, Urartu and the celestial fertile crescents of Asia Minor and Anatolia. He saw in “blue” the color of serenity, yet many illustrious artists before him saw in blue, the tumultuous ocean of human tragedies and landscape of the hidden, the sacred, the divine, the known and the unknown.

Sadoyan has his own colors universe. And it is so wonderful to explore his universe, for colors do not exclusively breath with and from paint, brushes and tubes, but also with and from within. The man is a philosopher. A gentle and a humble philosopher with an unsurpassed artistic talent. And this is what I like most about Alexander Sadoyan. His humility, his wise and simple philosophy and the brightness of his human-divine art.

While talking with Alexander Sadoyan about colors, he threw here and there some very deep thoughts and contemplation about themes not very much en vogue nowadays. Sadoyan squeezed words like “divination”, “Metaphysics”, “God”, “wisdom”, “Soul”, “spirit”, “Inner Self”,; those are very heavy concepts from a modern contempo Californian cubist artist. Ironically enough, and originally Cubism was everything but metaphysical or liturgical. And here we are today before the perfect cubist artist living and working in California who built up the very essence of his cubist art upon metaphysics and spirituality. This Alexander Sadoyan makes you think and wonder.

This is the fourth time I write about Alexander Sadoyan. Probably, I will never stop writing about this man. He entered my soul and his art infiltrated its lights and hidden love in the very fabrics of my madness and passion for life. I just simply love Sadoyan’s art.

I did not interview Sadoyan. Valerie Constand did. I just read the article. I felt the need of writing a few words about Sadoyan, the artist of lights, beauty, visions and wisdom. The need to comment on his answers. They were honest, sincere and evocative. The integrity of this man, the exemplary generosity of this man and the marvelous nuances of lights and shadows in Sadoyan’s compositions stimulate me for writing more about him. Most certainly, I will visit with him again and will sail once again in the immensity of his realm of beauty, divinatory aesthetics and metaphysical symbolism. I hope to see you soon, Alexander.

WACJ: Alexander, explain to us what colors mean to you? For instance, what do you see in red, white, blue, black, yellow, green, etc? What colors represent to you?
Sadoyan: The red color represents me. White is the color of blossom. Blue is the color of calmness. Black is the color of courage. Red is the color of precision. Yellow is the color of wisdom. Green is the color of divination.

WACJ: You are a painter. That's a tough profession? Isn't it? Sometimes, it is hard to make a living, being an artist? Do you agree?
Sadoyan: Yes. I agree it is very hard to make a living being an artist.

WACJ: How do you represent metaphysical ideas and concepts in your paintings? And why is it so important to be spiritual? Many artists were not spiritual, yet, they were masters in the field, such as Picasso, for example. He did not take religion very seriously.
Sadoyan: I'm spiritual, because I' believe in God.

WACJ: Do you think Armenian artists paint differently from other non-Armenian Artists?
Sadoyan: I think Armenian artist paint differently. I do.

WACJ: Why do you like Gorky so much?
Sadoyan: Gorky is a role model for most Armenian contemporary artists including myself.

WACJ: What are the most characteristic traits and strengths of a great abstract artist?
Sadoyan: To struggle and never to give up.

WACJ: Why did you come to the United States? You are originally from Lebanon, correct? Perhaps Armenia?
Sadoyan: I'm originally from Yerevan, Armenia.

WACJ: How do you come up with titles for your paintings?
Sadoyan: I put the title after finishing my painting.

WACJ: What is your favorite abstract or cubist painting of any painter in the West or in the East?
Sadoyan: I have more than one. My favorite abstract painters are Kandinsky, Gorky and Miro.

WACJ: And how about the favorite painting of your own work?
Sadoyan: I like "Dreams".

WACJ: Do you take art critics seriously?
Sadoyan: Constructive criticism is what I value the most.

WACJ: Did you paint the perfect painting or you are still searching for?
Sadoyan: No, I have not painted my perfect painting yet, but I hope that I will one day.

WACJ: Is there anything common between classical painting and abstract painting?
Sadoyan: Nothing common, because they have different styles.

Drummer by Saroyan

WACJ: What you don't like in modern or contemporary abstract art. The art itself or the artist?
Sadoyan: I don't like get in to analytical aspect of my work.

WACJ: What are the questions you don't like to answer to?
Sadoyan: I like to answer all questions.

WACJ: How long it takes you usually to finish a painting?
Sadoyan: I think Picasso has come up with a proper answer to this question: 30 years+ two hours.

WACJ: And what do you do next when you finish a painting?
Sadoyan: I start to think about my ideas, so I could paint a new painting.

WACJ: Who buys your art?
Sadoyan: Rich people buy my art.

WACJ : Have you met important people through your art? I know Charles Aznavour has one your paintings. Did you give it to him? Why?
Sadoyan: I presented my painting to Charles Aznavour, because he is my favorite singer and his a patriot person highly regard in my country.

WACJ: Are you a Diaspora Artist, an Armenian Artist or an International artist?
Sadoyan: I'm an International artist and I paint for people of the world.

WACJ: What is the difference between an International Armenian Artist and an Armenian artist?
No answer!

WACJ: Have you ever had hard times or tough experiences in your career as a painter? What kind of difficulties you had? How did you deal with?
Sadoyan: Always I had a hard time in my artist career. I solved the problem by working.

WACJ: Painting is your profession. Do you do something else besides painting?
Sadoyan: Sometime I do something else.

WACJ: Do you have kids? Do they like art? Do they paint? Do you want them to become artist like you or do something else? Why?
Sadoyan: Yes, I have two sons. They like to paint. Yes. I want them to become artists.

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A Tete-a-Tete With Alexander Sadoyan.

Dream 1u

Dream 2