ARTISTI NGA NJE FSHAT I VOGEL DAVIDOVC, I KOSOVES - RREFIMI GJAT NJE SIMPOZIUMI NE GUWAHATI, INDI

[Shefqet]

RREFIMI GJAT NJE SIMPOZIUMI NE GUWAHATI, INDI

Dua të flas për një rast kur jam befasuar nga një koleg artist dhe kritik i jashtëzakonshëm arti, i quajtur Hagop. Për herë të parë pata rastin ta takoj dhe të njihem me të në një simpozium ndërkombëtar arti në Guwahati, Indi. Aty qëndruam dhe punuam për disa ditë, duke u njohur artistët mes vete dhe duke zhvilluar biseda profesionale.

Pas përfundimit të simpoziumit, secili u kthye në vendin e vet. Rastisi që me Hagopin të takohemi sërish në aeroport, ku na ra të prisnim për një kohë të gjatë fluturimin. Ai ishte me bashkëshorten e tij — të dy artistë dhe pjesëmarrës në atë simpozium.

Gjatë pritjes, biseduam për përvojën tonë. Hagopi më pyeti:

“Shefqet, si të dukej simpoziumi? Sa i kënaqur ishe me organizimin dhe me kolegët?”

I thashë se në fillim gjithçka ishte shumë mirë. Artistët dukeshin të afërt dhe shoqërorë. Por, sapo filluam punën, vura re diçka të çuditshme: ata vinin pas meje, shikonin punën time, por nuk jepnin asnjë reagim. Madje më dukej sikur ishin të pakënaqur me mua, sikur të kisha bërë diçka jo të mirë.

Me kalimin e kohës, reagimet u zbehën edhe më shumë dhe disa prej tyre nuk dëshironin as të komunikonin me mua. Fillova të mendoj mos kisha bërë ndonjë gabim pa vetëdije. Por isha i bindur se nuk kisha bërë asgjë të keqe — përkundrazi, përpiqesha të isha i sjellshëm dhe i afërt me secilin.

Kur ia tregova këtë Hagopit, ai buzëqeshi lehtë dhe më pyeti:

“A është hera e parë që të ndodh kjo në një simpozium?”

U ndala dhe mendova për përvojat e mia të mëparshme. Kuptova se jo — kjo më kishte ndodhur pothuajse në çdo simpozium.

Ia thashë këtë, duke shtuar se ndoshta problemi ishte tek unë.

Hagopi buzëqeshi përsëri dhe më tha:

“A mund ta kuptosh pse po të ndodh kjo?”

I thashë sinqerisht që jo.

Atëherë ai më tha:

“Ti duhet të jesh shumë i lumtur dhe krenar, sepse puna jote është e shkëlqen dhe dallon ndër qindra piktura të artisteve të tjerë. Kjo po të ndodh pikërisht sepse puna jote shquhet dhe do të vazhdojë të shquhet gjithmonë. Prandaj mos prit që kjo situatë të ndryshojë. Kjo ndjesi jo e këndshme do të të shoqërojë shpesh, por ti duhet të jesh gjithmonë i lumtur dhe krenar, sepse ti shkëlqen në mesin e shumë artistëve të tjerë.”

Unë nuk do t’i harroj kurrë këto fjalë të atij artisti dhe kritiku të madh. Vërtet më bëri të ndihem shumë mirë shpirtërisht. Ai do të mbetet gjithmonë në mendjen dhe zemrën time si një njeri i madh dhe shumë i sinqertë.

ENGLISH 

A MEMORY FROM A SYMPOSIUM IN GUWAHATI, INDIA

I would like to share an experience when I was surprised by an extraordinary colleague—an artist and art critic named Hagop. I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time at an international art symposium in Guwahati, India. We stayed and worked there for several days, getting to know one another and engaging in professional conversations.

After the symposium ended, everyone returned to their respective countries. By coincidence, Hagop and I met again at the airport, where we had to wait a long time for our flight. He was with his wife—both of them artists and participants in the symposium.

During the wait, we talked about our experience. Hagop asked me:
“Shefqet, what did you think of the symposium? How satisfied were you with the organization and with the colleagues?”

I told him that at the beginning everything was very good. The artists seemed friendly and approachable. But as soon as we began working, I noticed something strange: they would come behind me, look at my work, but give no reaction at all. It even felt as if they were dissatisfied with me, as if I had done something wrong.

As time went on, their reactions became even more distant, and some of them did not even want to communicate with me. I began to wonder whether I had unknowingly made a mistake. But I was convinced that I had done nothing wrong—on the contrary, I tried to be kind and open with everyone.

When I told this to Hagop, he smiled gently and asked:
“Is this the first time this has happened to you at a symposium?”

I paused and reflected on my previous experiences. I realized that it was not—this had happened to me in almost every symposium.

I told him this and added that perhaps the problem was me.

Hagop smiled again and said:
“Can you understand why this is happening to you?”

I answered honestly that I could not.

Then he said:
“You should be very happy and proud, because your work shines and stands out among hundreds of paintings by other artists. This is happening to you precisely because your work distinguishes itself and will always continue to do so. Therefore, do not expect this situation to change. This uncomfortable feeling will accompany you often, but you must always be happy and proud, because you shine among many other artists.”

I will never forget these words from that great artist and critic. He truly made me feel spiritually uplifted. He will always remain in my mind and heart as a great and very sincere person.

NEDERLANDSE 

EEN HERINNERING AAN EEN SYMPOSIUM IN GUWAHATI, INDIA

Ik wil een ervaring delen waarbij ik verrast werd door een uitzonderlijke collega—een kunstenaar en kunstcriticus genaamd Hagop. Ik had voor het eerst de gelegenheid hem te ontmoeten tijdens een internationaal kunstsymposium in Guwahati, India. We verbleven daar enkele dagen, werkten samen, leerden elkaar kennen en voerden professionele gesprekken.

Na afloop van het symposium keerde iedereen terug naar zijn eigen land. Toevallig kwamen Hagop en ik elkaar opnieuw tegen op de luchthaven, waar we lange tijd moesten wachten op onze vlucht. Hij was samen met zijn vrouw—beiden kunstenaars en deelnemers aan het symposium.

Tijdens het wachten spraken we over onze ervaringen. Hagop vroeg mij:
“Shefqet, wat vond je van het symposium? Hoe tevreden was je over de organisatie en de collega’s?”

Ik vertelde hem dat in het begin alles heel goed was. De kunstenaars leken vriendelijk en sociaal. Maar zodra we begonnen te werken, merkte ik iets vreemds op: ze kwamen achter mij staan, keken naar mijn werk, maar gaven geen enkele reactie. Het leek zelfs alsof ze ontevreden over mij waren, alsof ik iets verkeerd had gedaan.

Na verloop van tijd werden de reacties nog afstandelijker en sommigen wilden zelfs niet meer met mij communiceren. Ik begon te denken dat ik misschien onbewust een fout had gemaakt. Maar ik was ervan overtuigd dat ik niets verkeerd had gedaan—integendeel, ik probeerde vriendelijk en open te zijn naar iedereen.

Toen ik dit aan Hagop vertelde, glimlachte hij zacht en vroeg:
“Is dit de eerste keer dat dit je overkomt op een symposium?”

Ik stopte even en dacht na over mijn eerdere ervaringen. Ik besefte dat dit niet de eerste keer was—het was mij bijna bij elk symposium overkomen.

Ik zei hem dit en voegde eraan toe dat het probleem misschien bij mij lag.

Hagop glimlachte opnieuw en zei:
“Kun je begrijpen waarom dit je overkomt?”

Ik antwoordde eerlijk dat ik het niet kon.

Toen zei hij:
“Je moet heel gelukkig en trots zijn, want jouw werk straalt en onderscheidt zich tussen honderden schilderijen van andere kunstenaars. Dit gebeurt juist omdat jouw werk opvalt en zich altijd zal blijven onderscheiden. Verwacht daarom niet dat deze situatie zal veranderen. Dit onaangename gevoel zal je vaak vergezellen, maar je moet altijd gelukkig en trots zijn, want jij straalt tussen vele andere kunstenaars.”

Ik zal deze woorden van die grote kunstenaar en criticus nooit vergeten. Hij liet mij echt innerlijk goed voelen. Hij zal altijd in mijn gedachten en in mijn hart blijven als een groot en zeer oprecht mens.