Photographer who returned to Armenia from New York: I do not want my taxes pay wars

Haik Toutounjyan came to Armenia for six months after having lived in New York for 38 years, and never returned back to the States. His decision to stay in the fatherland has a very interesting explanation. “Here they don’t war in my name, do not bomb other countries with the taxes I pay. Do you know how many years I didn’t sleep in America? I have paid taxes to bomb Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. ” I don’t want to live in a country where they use taxes and in the name of the population annihilate other countries. In Armenia I sleep well,” says Haik and assures that the imagination about the American democracy or that of many European countries is a myth that is rooted in countries such as Armenia to direct inflow of people By the way, he says in Armenia drivers that make violations are not treated as potential criminals, while in the States the police holds his hand on the gun while approaching a driver, which looks like they are treating drivers like criminals. Haik Toutounjyan graduated from the Arts Academy of New York, Department of Photography, and has cooperated with renowned photo studios. Recently he participated in an exhibition entitled “From East to West, modern to postmodern” at the center of modern arts.

-In Armenia arts photography is as actual as seeing several exhibitions a year. This type of arts has a lot to do with the public perception because it is treated primarily as photo journalist. Is arts photography demanded in New York?

-It was like that during many years there too as a debate was going one whether photography is an art or no. In 1980s, when I was a student, arts photography movement started. At that time there were exhibitions that were out of the perception of photo journalism. In 1990s they started selling pieces. People started collecting photographs and paying a lot of money for that. Like in Armenia, in the US as well photography was not considered an art for many years. I do not separate Armenia from the rest of the world as everything is the same here; simply it is a little more “Armenian.”

-If you ask any Armenian photographer, they will tell you that American and European people are bearers of the art, but Armenians are passive and indifferent. There is no interest to arts.

-Who says that? It is propaganda. Let’s go to the six-storey building in New York, which is full of photography studios, and let them tell you about their challenges and how difficult it is for them to earn living. You will see that it does not differ from Armenia. Such rumors are propaganda. People are tortured and they need hope; they need to know that everything is better somewhere else. It is not true. What made Paris different is that the government protected artists, but Sarkozy broke that protection too. What I mean is that even in Paris, which is known as the center for arts, there is no such interest to arts any more. Armenia is more democratic than Europe.

-It is ridiculous. Are you trying to say that the European or American democracy is a myth that we have created?

-Of course. They saw the grain here, and we grow the plant. It is the fantasy of Armenians. People make up myths and tell others that there is democracy somewhere else but they have not seen it. The US and Soviet Union are the same – simply the Soviet Union was direct and said everything directly, but the US is like the Soviet Union more polished, more beautiful so that others tend to go to that country. The Soviet Union and US are the same system. There used to be freedom there – the end of freedom came after September 11^th. Any time the police may stop your car to check up. People in Armenia who want to go to America imagine things that do not exist there; they have not seen that life and do not know the reality.

-Don’t you think that it is for the sake of the American people’s security to restrict measures after the disastrous terror? Securing from terror has a goal to provide security for people.

-No, it is not normal. Who did the terror? Do you really think that Bin Laden, sitting in a cave in Afghanistan, could break the American security technology, defense and air protection and organized that terror? Even American citizens with clear mind who want to see the reality understand that it was organized by the American authorities. American citizens who are not limited with CNN’s news know everything perfectly. September 11 is in the throat of many people who cannot swallow it. It was a confidential operation that took a lot of resources and humans, which should stay in secret. After that tragedy many people left the United Sates as they were in depression, others believed the CNN’s news and stayed there.

-It is surprising that you have found peace in Armenia after living in the United States and Italy.

-I have never had expectations from the government – this is how I lived my life so far. Believe me what is happening in Armenia and New York are the same; simply the volumes are big there. Corruption and embezzlement are the same; simple there are more zeros there.

-Going back to arts photography, are there private collections in Armenia that cooperate with you? By the way, your photos have been exhibited in www.hi-artonline.com project’s virtual gallery. Are you cooperating with this project?

-I am not aware of private collections. There is nothing impossible in this life; it’s all about hard work and seriousness. The only project I found in Armenia that works well is www.hi-artonline.com, which generally pays serious attention to arts. They have a specific project and plan how to take the art out and they are working for that purpose. I will try to participate in art-expo’s in the other countries, which is a great tool for selling modern arts. I also pay attention to auctions.

-You do not carry your camera with you. Why? Best shots are made unexpectedly and when you do not expect them.

-For me the material of photography is the light that I can found in the city and mountains. In photography it is the light that takes the shot – you just have to find the right scenery. I do not like caring my camera with me; if I want to take a shot, it will be with me. When I am in mood of taking shots, my camera is with me.