Gohar Sargsyan

Poetic Dialogue

What is language, and what does it mean for us? Does it have a beginning and an end?
When is it considered viable, and when is it endangered?

At the heart of the “Poetic Dialogue” project are these seemingly simple questions, which
become increasingly complex as you delve into the essence of language.
According to UNESCO’s online atlas (2012), Western Armenian is classified as an endangered
language. Languages usually become endangered because they fail to adapt to geopolitical
changes. Once vibrant, they are gradually pushed out, first from literary use and then from
everyday life.

This issue troubles many, but what can I do as an artist?
Questions and challenges drive my projects, and this time, generating interest in the Western
Armenian language became the central focus. This concern inspired me and evolved into a
significant project.

All of my projects are diverse, but they all revolve around the existential axis of humanity, as if
each time I shift my perspective and focus on a new aspect of human nature.

Writing poetry awakens our inner world, reaching deep into layers of memories and emotions.
In this project, poetry became a common language to unite Eastern and Western Armenian, with
the concept of the “Poetry Cell” providing a fertile space for creativity.

Poetry books, installation, 2024

Poetry books are a crucial part of the chamber. These books are actually my graphic series
created using the monotype technique. Visitors can open them and write whatever they wish,
creating an interactive library. The images within these books seem like unwritten poems,
designed to inspire visitors.

Poetry Book

Poetic Vibrations, installation, 2024

In the “Poetic Vibrations” installation, you’ll encounter the new poems created during the
project, where people freely express their thoughts, feelings, and desires.

Poetical Scales, interactive installation, 2024

The same word, when written in Eastern Armenian versus Western Armenian, differs visually.
The most famous example is the word Ser/ՍԵՐ (love). In Western Armenian, it is written Sēr/ՍԷՐ.

I named this part of the installation “Sēr or Ser Workshop.” This installation offers a space to examine words as
objects of visual, aural, and even physical and chemical experiments.

Here, I propose to experience words not just as the simplest units of text but to activate all our senses
for their complete perception – not just as signs, but as hieroglyphs.

Poetic Dialogue, audio installation, 2024

Poetic Dialogue, Personal Exhibition, 2024

The project is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, within the framework of the արդ եւս|in view Western Armenian cultural support programme.

Poetic Dinner, Installation 2024

Poetry Cell, interactive Installation, 2024

Hedden Poet, installation, 2024

Poetry Cell, interactive Installation, 2024

Hedden Poem, interactive Installation, 2024

As an artist, I posit that the capacity for creativity is a profound mechanism for revive languages. This innate creative potential, which includes the ability to compose poetry, is inherent in everyone. By cultivating an environment conducive to creative expression, we provide the necessary conditions for this potential to emerge and grow. The Poetry Booth installation is specifically designed to facilitate this process. It serves as a catalyst for expanding this concept across various global practices, thereby fostering unity through the mediums of poetry and art.