the armenian the armenianreporter artsartsreporter September 6, 2008 September 6, 2008 cultureculture&& DerHova’s studio magic See page C5 The The Georgian- Worry journey is Armenians are beads meet the thing coming wearable art Page C9 Page C10-c11 Page C2 Worry beads meet wearable art Sona Hamalian’s playful venture offers handmade jewelry based on the tesbeh interview by Ishkhan Jinbashian A version of this article was published origi- nally in Cigar Clan Magazine. Reprinted by permission. In 2006, when Sona Hamalian launched Zart Nouveau, her jewelry brand, in Yerevan, she simply wanted to have some fun designing original pieces for friends and relatives. Ever since she was a little girl, she had had a passion for unique jewelry, and now she was their finger, only too glad to cater to her apprecia- then hiding it tive circle. in their palm, or Today Zart Nouveau has taken on hanging it from a life of its own, with distribution in the thick, hand-wo- Europe and growing online sales. Ha- ven belts of their tra- malian’s line stands out not only for ditional Arab pants. I its craftsmanship and sexy, daring de- was particularly fascinated signs, but because it caters to men and by men who played/prayed with their women alike. The company’s offerings, tesbehs while walking home in the eve- conceived by Hamalian and handmade nings, with both hands in their back. by artisans in Armenia, are all based on The colorful tesbehs in the gold market the tesbeh, or worry beads, and feature Left: Sona Hamalian. were always an eye-catcher. You would a large variety of semiprecious stones, Above and facing see hundreds of them hanging in display metals, and wood. The idea has found page: Some of cases, most selling at a reasonable price. devotees in countries throughout the Hamalian’s jewelry There were also those that cost a bun- world, encouraging Hamalian to contin- designs. Photos: Zaven dle. Such pieces were bought by wealthy ue playing on the timeless tesbeh theme Khachikian. men who, apart from enjoying the pieces, and producing chic, distinct articles of sported them as status symbols. personal adornment. in the creative process? treal, I saw a ring and fell in love with it. Q: The tesbeh has been traditionally Q: The first thing I noticed about A: I grew up in a Muslim neighbor- It was a unique piece of silver that cost and strictly associated with men. Some your jewelry pieces is that they give hood in Lebanon and always admired $250. I could not afford it, so my sis- might read a feminist statement in your one a wink. They’re cheeky. How do you the Kurdish women who paraded the ter bought it for me. Thirty years later, “subversion” of this male article into jew- achieve this effect with “inanimate” ob- streets in their colorful clothes and gor- that ring is still in my treasure chest and elry for women. Except that, of course, jects like precious stones and wood? geous jewelry. Some of them, the richer among my treasured memories. you also use the tesbeh theme to make ones, carried up to 100 gold bangles on I have another piece of faux bijou by jewelry for men and teenagers of both One day a high-ranking their wrists, and long, elegant earrings designer Cecile Jeanne, whose work sexes. What’s your take on such an in- Armenian official noticed full of turquoise pieces. I was fascinat- I admire, for which I have paid $450. I terpretation? me play with my tesbeh, ed by them and tried to imitate them was drawn to this piece because of its A: I am a feminine-ist, not a feminist. whenever I played house with my twin inscription, which said, in French: “Be- Perhaps there is a touch of “a feminist and, with brows raised high, sister, Sossy. One day, our church priest hold, there comes the morning, and its statement” in the reason that pushed asked, “Are you making fun came to visit us at home just when we light is its promise.” This piece has been me to turn the tesbeh into a feminine of me?” And I answered, “Are were playing, and when he saw me in my good luck charm and the inscription toy. When I first came to Armenia, in you?” my bangles and jingles, he said, “We’re on it my mantra for the past ten years. 1991, I worked to help start the Ameri- going to marry you to a Kurd.” He never So yes, perhaps there is a converging can University of Armenia. It was a joint kept his promise. point in me, where the freewheeling na- venture of the University of California The five-year-old, not the eight-year- ture of the child meets the grown-up system and the Ministry of Education old, is always in me. I have the sponta- quest for a measure of wisdom. of Armenia. The partnership meant A: That’s because I always look for the neity of a five-year-old. I have to buy Q: Why have you chosen the tesbeh that I had to negotiate certain things unusual. Objects, much like human be- what I like without giving it a second as the basic design element of your jew- with the Armenian government. Almost ings, stop being “inanimate” when you thought. I had fled to Montreal, Canada, elry? Is it about just nostalgia? every single one of the officials I went start flirting with them. during the Lebanese Civil War, with not A: It’s more than nostalgia. Like stone to visit would pull out his tesbeh and Q: You’ve made jewelry since you were a penny in my pocket. At that time I carvings, the tesbeh is carved in my mem- conduct our discussions with tesbeh in eight years old. As a designer today, do was staying with my older sister, Arpi, ory. All the men in our neighborhood hand. Something about that situation you find that there a specific childhood who was so very generous with me. One “played” with their tesbehs. They had disturbed me. Here I was, trying to ne- drive or experience which you still feel day, as we were strolling down Old Mon- ingenious ways of wrapping it around gotiate with them on a supposedly even playing field, yet they carried a “power” On page C1: DerHova, a dance-music producer known for mixing Western tool I did not possess. I finally bought Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture sounds with Armenian melodies, tells the Armenian Reporter that he has myself a most feminine, jade-colored Copyright © 2008 by Armenian Reporter llc All Rights Reserved found a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in the homeland.Photo: tesbeh from the Vernissage – the famous Contact [email protected] with announcements Kamo Tovmasian. See story on page C5. To advertise, write [email protected] or call 1-201-226-1995 Continued on page C3 m C2 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture September 6, 2008 Letters to a young, Armenian poet: Letter one ous about this endeavor of writing, of When we come to poetry, to art, we poem to the next – not in comparison creating poems, so I will have to be hon- want to find symbols from the art- to others. est in order to honor your dedication. ist, the visionary who will guide us I usually comment on what works in a Your poem is full of fervor and passion to some truth through that symbol. poem, in a piece of art before I tackle the for your culture. This is quite apparent. For instance, in your letter, you men- challenges of a piece, but because of the You write about being Armenian, miss- tioned that your notebook has become tone of your letter, I had faith that you ing your homeland, about a sorrowful so full of scraps of paper, and collected wanted my critique first and foremost. history, and you end in a note of hope. items, such as leaves and crushed pet- In your poem, you mention “the boughs by Lory While this is all wonderful in sentiment, als, that you dreamt the notebook ex- of the apricot tree bending like my own Bedikian what I want to call your attention to is ploded one day only to scatter all over full arms.” This is poetry and fine work. your use of language. Your poem utilizes your yard as you rushed to find all the The simile is visual, memorable. Think of phrases such as “my soul feels,” “my heart pieces. That to me is poetry. When you it this way. In cinema, what resonates The following letter, one among four, is in- calls,” “dreams have died,” or “we will tell me of soul and dream, I ask you most after the lights have come up and spired by the well-known published Letters live happily.” If I did not know glimpses ‘what of it?’ Your audience is hoping the credits roll are the visually stunning to a Young Poet, written by Rainer Ma- of who you are, hints of your personality you’ll say something new, and even moments. People don’t merely laugh ria Rilke, the great German poet. Rilke was through your letter, and clues into your if the topic is not new (and actually and cry, but the writer, director, or who- known to receive letters from young people true desire to improve upon your writ- there really is no such thing as a new ever it may be, decides to have a close- and in the one set referred to above, from ing, I must say I would have read a few topic), your reader relies on you to up on a hand fidgeting with a glass or 1903 to 1908, he wrote a series of letters to a lines of your poem and then set it aside.