Krikor Beledian 75
The first publication of ARI PRESS was made possible due to collaboration with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, at the result of which a series of books dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Krikor Beledian were released. The series consists of three sets, each consisted of 5 books, presenting selected works of the author, including several new works. The first quintet includes the following books: “Incompleteness”, “Ghazaravan”, which are published in first edition, as well as “Identity-Diaspora”, “Bosom/bowels of reading”, ““Weighted cross-cutting” ”.
The books are the reflections of the author on finished and unfinished works of art, on the identity of Diaspora Armenians, on literature, reading, poetry, mantras, as well as the village of Ghazaravan near Ashtarak.
Incompleteness
The writing testifies to the incompleteness that, like the smile of a smiling angel remains there, somewhere, inside, outside, under your fingers, waiting for the sinking of an unknown victim. Didn’t that testimony end the song to some extent? The end is a field where you will sleep.
Ghazaravan
You came to see, but you have not come at all to see me pause. You will see, since you are in a slow state of coming. You need to get closer to reject seeing.
Identity- Diaspora
I came from far, from outside. From Diaspora. Not from one exact place. In the status of a foreigner. To speak about identity.
Botom of Reading
The reading is obliged to/should enrich the literary work with the experience of being ephemeral and mortal. It is with this enrichment that it makes possible providing a creative circumstance for itself. Leaning on fixed clamps, deepening and exaggerating the literary work, recognizing its relations to the sex as a turning point, that is, close to both writing and the realities surrounding it, firmly clinging to the or writing of a literary work. An intellectual experience that turns around, breaks the layers of the usual, accepted, dead, but at the same time passes through him and can finally evoke a cognitive pleasure or a feeling of cognitive beauty, this is what the process of reading may look like.
Weighted Cross-Cutting
The response to the world expanded by the language, the chaos of the language exaggerated and enumerated by words is all a lasting state of being. Here it is, the mantra, the way I see and hear it. Once it is there/happens, you will disappear. As a poet of a language that does not want to be that of a poet. Perhaps the simple creator of the exciled word. Not even that.
The second set of five books includes the following titles: “Bilingual nets”, “From time to time”, as well as the works which are published for the first time “To begin, “Public squares” and “Theory of S. Parajanov”.
In these works the authors touches upon the “urged” bilingualism of French-Armenian writers, transformational influence of “leavings” and “returns”, political and vital importance of public squares, as well as analyzes and talks about the life and work of two great Armenians – Movses Khorenatsi and Sergei Parajanov, who lived tens of centuries apart.
Bilingual Nets
Initially written as an introduction to the Armenian version of the work about French-Armenian Literature (Yerevan, 2017), these pages address the issue of literary bilingualism in the context of the common translation space.
From Time to Time
The three writings that make up the book are public speeches, born of occasional cases and capturing more permanent problems.: “The Language of Disaster” and the literary experience.
To Begin
Initially written as a speech on the 1600th anniversary of the creation of Movses Khorenatsi’s “History of Armenia”, the main question of the work concerns the origin and beginning of writing. The issue No. 1/7 (2020) published in “The Second Beginning” takes the issue of the Mekhitarist Fathers of the 19th century into the realm of epic hymns. Why should the beginning be uttered and written? That’s the irreversible imperative.
Public Square
«Between fiction and experimental essay, this unpublished writing, with some “phenomenological approach”, captures the “square” as an urban space and habitat».
Theory of S. Parajanov
«Initially written in French in 2006 the main essay of the book was inspired/prompted by the charm of S. Parajanov’s films. The current Armenian version is certainly not the same but not completely different. The entry pages are specially written id for this edition».
The third quintet of books includes the following titles: «Languages», «The Fall of Constantinople», «Art of rhetoric and lifestyle», “Story” the work which is published for the first time – “Assadour”, dedicated to the renown Armenian Postwar & Contemporary painter Assadour Bezdikian.
In these works Beledian touches upon the art of rhetoric in Grigor Narekatsi’s Book of Lamentations, the story-telling, especially the poetry-writing, the constituent role of language, the literature of Constantinople as well he analyzes and discusses the life and works of Assadour Bezdikian.
Languages
This written in a free style essay is an attempt to think about the thought that plays a constituent role in languages. Writing is listening.
“When I write, I hear the language, a diaspora of languages”.
The Fall of Constantinople
This essay, taken from the journal “Tram” (1980), tries to reflect on the end and the fall of the literature of Constantinople, in particular, the tradition of poetry and the issues it addresses.
Story
What is a story? What does it mean to tell a story? Why it’s not about merely writing episodes? This is the main message and issue this work refers to.
Art of Rhetoric and Lifestyle
The Art of rhetoric described in Grigor Narekatsi’s Book of Lamentations is close to the art of writing, and is considered as a way of being, a lifestyle.
First published in the book “Dialogue with Narekatsi”.
Assadour
«For the first time in this work, Beledian comprehensively examines the work of artist Asadour (Bzdigian, 1943) who lives in France.
