Report and interview by Nanor Mikayelian

 

 

 (introduction only)

 

"It is not necessary to always use a professional camera, as long as it comes from your heart and soul"
Carlos Jose Bourdjian
                                                                                 
Carlos Jose Bourdjian graduated with honor from Aleppo University, Faculty of Business and Economics in 1994, holding a BA in Business Administration, but as many of us, his passion was always the arts, so he attended classes for professional photography at "Le Pont gallery" by Issa Touma in 1997, and then improved himself to adopt his own style in classic and abstract themes.

 

Carlos has always loved life, and skimming through his works, one can definitely feel his positive outlook, something that makes him the free spirited man and artist he is today.
 
The photographer recently had his first solo exhibition in Yerevan, entitled "Ten Years…Armenia", which embodied ninety six interesting photos of the country, landscapes and the artist - friends Carlos has made during his several visits to Motherland Armenia.

 

The exhibition was held at The Club, in two separate halls, as it was divided into three categories: the first part included photos of Syria (where the artist is from). The second part presented Armenia in two different aspects: Holy Armenia with its churches and different sacred  places, and Armenia in general, which included scenes from Yerevan, several monuments and of course the mount of all Armenians – Ararat. As for the third part which was presented in a different hall, there were portraits of celebrity artists with whom Carlos got acquainted within the last ten years, where one could also listen to a CD of songs and performances by the eminent artists themselves throughout all ten days of the exhibition.

 

 

 

Born in Venezuela and raised in Syria, how do you explain dedicating a whole exhibition to Armenia?
In a word, we can call it Homage to Armenia… I have always had contributions in collective exhibitions with various artists, but my first solo exhibition was supposed to be held in Armenia, it was kind of a vow I made to myself. I’ve been taking photos for almost ten years now, and after each visit to Armenia I fell in love with it all over again, it  kind of changed me and I matured. So I had to express it in a certain way. For me, I guess this was the perfect way.
 
Do you still remember the first time you felt the need to capture a certain moment? What and when was it?
Let me start by saying that I was born and raised in a family that appreciates and encourages art in its different forms, be that music, painting … I still believe that photography hit me by chance: I used to sing with the Hamazkayin Zvartnots choir. We were on this trip to Der Zor to attend the opening of the Armenian chapel, back in 1989; we were heading to the buses when I went back to the church one last time and realized that the scene is worth taking a photo, I had this primitive Konica (point and shoot) camera and decided to take a picture of the dome which was already in dark with a ray of light descending from it… At that moment I could already tell that the result was going to please me and many others. After I developed the photos I had no doubt that there’s a certain talent inside me that needed to be improved.
 
While taking a picture, do you become someone else? Do you act or think differently?
Yes, I become someone else. When I look at the object from the view finder on the cam, I already place myself in the midst of it, and I become a part of whatever it is, that’s when the object starts to have feelings and emotions and it becomes full of life. It could be something very simple yet it could have its own life and soul; of course there’s always the last phase where I like to work the most, because the photo changes a lot from what it was originally, because I crop it, change the sequence of objects, manipulate the frames, the sizes and the color and with my final touch, the photo becomes inviting and it appeals to many.
 
When you’re willing to express yourself, do you rely on quality or… quantity?
No doubt... on quality. Even today after the emergence of digital cameras, you may take a hundred photos and yet you find yourself deleting most of them, as only a few could satisfy you… sometimes one picture (when taken from the right angle) could speak and compensate for thousands of words. Most vivid moments were during the photo session of A.G.B.U. / A.Y.A.’s BIG BAND back in 1998, I had to climb to the roof to take a photo of the musicians from above while they were practicing... I can also remember a very difficult ride to Frounloq forests in Kessab, where I had to wait in freezing temperatures till the sunset was in its best position.
 

Martiros Sarian Museum

Your standpoint interests me. Does the photo immortalize you or the object itself?
Well… both. In 2001 there was an international workshop in Amsterdam, “One thousand and one reasons to love the earth”, I participated with a photo which was my first professional photo at that time and it won a special appreciation from the jury members and was published in the website and the project album and was selected to be exhibited in Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. I can say that the photo immortalized me... Since then it wandered around the world and honestly it’s one of my favorites.

 

Another similar case can be related to a photo I took in my first visit to Yerevan, it was at the Mardiros Sarian house-museum; I shot a picture of the walking path from upstairs then turned it upside down. Many of my friends told me that they have never seen it like that; I guess the photo immortalized the object here.
 
Has photography ever been a way to earn a living or just a way to express what you cannot express in words?
Unfortunately no, it was never a way to earn a living, because even if I want to, photography in Syria is not appreciated enough for anyone to make it a living… it’s just a unique way for me to say what words can’t.
 
What are your favorite themes to capture? Portraits, landscapes…?
I like to picture a variety of things...But mostly I consider myself a realist photographer, because no matter what level of professionalism you attain, you have to have your feet in the classical real world. I dislike beginners who no sooner start taking pictures than they manipulate the light and the dark and picture mysterious objects, then try to justify what they didn’t get in the first place... in order to achieve that, you must have years of experience, and only then adopt your own line..

 

After all these years, although I adore the  abstract art, sometimes I’m still a classical photographer, I like to photograph tangible things with an abstract but understandable finishing; a rose or an apple let’s say, no matter how you take the picture, it’s the same object, but you can use thousands of techniques to play with it.

 

As for my favorite, I enjoy photographing facial expressions, I can depict my mood and thoughts through human expressions, sometimes a simple gesture could be enough, and when you can pass that to the viewer himself, then, it’s a victory.
 
I know that you love and listen intensively to many types of music (jazz, classical, pop, new age, etc). Does that affect your photographic gift positively?
Yes it sure does, I tend to listen to my CD’s while I’m working, and it creates a certain mood especially when I’m working on the finishing of a photo. I mean, even If it hasn’t affected me directly then maybe indirectly, because it’s a huge reference, it provides me with lots and lots of themes.
 

Ararat at sunset

Do you feel you want to thank anyone who has helped you become the artistic personality you are today?
My mother of course, I would like to thank her for providing all the means and artistic atmosphere I needed to love and appreciate art, I thank her not for becoming the photographer I am today but the person I grew up to be.
 
I’m curious. Do you have a favorite photographer or a favorite photo?
Nobody in particular,  I have a bunch of Armenian artists in mind whose works I always try to catch up with, for example Hagop Majarian, Zaven Khachigian, Hrayr Paze, Ara Samson, Viken Mnoian... And many foreign artists... But sometimes I tend to remember photos more than the artists themselves.
 
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Actually it’s hard to picture myself in ten years; I have certain plans up in the air that I would definitely pursue. I can say that I will have improved my skills, I still have unexpressed feelings and ideas that need to find and outlet... Don’t rush, let’s wait and see.
 
You have been to several countries, have you noticed a difference in the reactions of the natives?
Hmmmm… good question... yes I have noticed a huge difference in reactions. For example I intend to have a similar exhibition in Aleppo during February 2008 but I guess I won’t display certain works, because different people appreciate different stuff. There are photos that might not interest the viewer in Aleppo, but they got a lot of attention in Yerevan, even the questions the viewers ask you about certain photos that I thought would be taken for granted, make you realize that the photo got a whole new meaning. I guess it depends on the background and interests each community has.

 

Yerevan inhabitants have a different way to indulge art, they are hard to please and care for the last detail. They don’t ask this silly question “How did you shoot this photo or what technique you are using?”

 

Being from  Diaspora, I had some doubts that I might not get to them, but it was a success and I came to conclusion that if you amazed the Armenians of Armenia then don’t worry about the rest of Armenians around the world.
 
I need an honest answer here. If you weren’t a photographer what domain would you choose?
Anything in the domain of arts, maybe a musician... I used to play the violin and I adore music in its various styles, my CD storage can tell (laughing). I cannot picture myself working as a businessman or a physician; it definitely has to be the arts.
 

Alla Levonian amazed at her photos

O.k. I need your opinion. When does a person cease being an amateur and become professional?
Professionalism isn’t a title people around you give you; it’s a phase when you feel that what you give is distinct and unique. When your photo grabs the attention of many while being hung among hundreds of others, you know you’re a professional.
 
Anything you want to add Carlos?
Yes, I’d like the reader to know that this exhibition was originally entitled Ten Years. I had so many photos taken from different countries in mind, but when I had the collection right in front of me, it was huge and too bulky to carry around, so I decided to cut the number down and found myself removing this photo and that photo but not daring to exclude anything from Armenia. I had 100 frames in mind, 70 of which belonged to Armenia, so I thought it was time to change the theme and make it Ten years… Armenia.

 

I want to thank both Penig Mishoian who designed the exhibition poster and invitations, and Armine Andonian, my manager in yerevan, who helped in organizing and coordinating everything with The Club management prior to my arrival to Yerevan.
 
Carlos says that lots of people around us think that photography is not like any other art, in fact it’s not even art at all, they think it’s just a click of a button... This is absolutely wrong he says... When you have your final touch and you know that the picture eventually represents thoughts and emotions squeezed in a frame, then you know that you have accomplished something sublime, as sublime as art itself.             

 

 

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