Ani Asatryan, 2024 East-West Resident
Can one truly uncover the depths of their identity? While a confident answer may be elusive, writer Ani Asatryan has made it part of her creative mission to explore the complexities of the “self” in ways that transcend language and borders.
Ani has pursued complexity in her writing, whether in her absurdist short story collection or her debut novel, E. Her works resonate with global audiences, getting published in some of the most prestigious publications, including The Paris Review and Words Without Borders, and recognized by international awards.
She continued to explore these tangled and complex threads during her time as a 2024 East-West Resident at Villa Empain in Brussels. This time, through the second volume of her novel trilogy, Er, which follows three friends who, in an act of self-transformation trigger a series of internal and external changes.
In this exclusive interview, Ani elaborates on her creative process, inspirations behind new works, meaningful connections she made during her Brussels residency, and much more.
Having recently completed your East-West Residency at the Villa Empain, what aspects of the experience stood out the most for you? Were there any particular moments or encounters that significantly influenced you?
The first thing that stood out to me was the atmosphere. At the Villa Empain, I finally managed to overcome my insomnia, and I believe that was due to both the natural environment and the incredible people I was surrounded by. The artistic community there was deeply supportive, and I’d like to mention Zahra Safaverdi, to whom I dedicated a poem. It's rare to meet people who are like windows—they don’t try to teach or advise you, but instead open up entirely new perspectives. They allow you to see the bigger picture simply by being themselves, offering you the space to be who you are without the pressure to impress or compete.
While staying at the Villa Empain, you focused on your new novel Er. Could you share more about this project, the inspiration behind it, and how your time in Brussels influenced its development and progress?
Er is a deeply personal novel, inspired by the complexities of identity, memory, and the passage of time. It delves into how we are shaped by our environments—both physically and emotionally. The protagonists of the book leave their homeland in search of belonging in foreign lands. Gradually, they begin to lose their sense of self, transforming into ghostlike, fluid beings as they absorb aspects of each culture they encounter, lacking a solid internal foundation to keep them grounded. The characters embody the local and global challenges that modern youth face, regardless of where they are in the world.
My interactions at the Villa Empain, especially with the visitors—art collectors, artists, scholars, curators, diplomats, and writers—helped me test these ideas in real-world conversations. Those exchanges brought new layers of depth to the novel, allowing me to ground its themes in tangible experiences.
Your work aims to bridge cultural and geographical divides, and Brussels, with its rich cultural heritage, is the perfect backdrop for such endeavors. At the Villa Empain, you began a new video poem series. How did the city’s environment impact your creative process? Please talk a little about the series.
Brussels, with its rich cultural layers and history, was the perfect environment to explore themes of bridging divides. During my time at the Villa Empain, I began a new video poem series that focuses on the intersection of personal and collective memory. Each video poem in the series delves into the fluidity of identity, using both visual and spoken elements to examine how we constantly shift between different versions of ourselves depending on where we are and who we’re with.
The people you’re surrounded by can be a real game changer. Artists I had known for only a week became key collaborators, offering their skills and knowledge to support each other’s creative processes. This sense of mutual respect and collaboration was like fresh air. It made me reflect on the challenges we face in Armenia, where there is often a tendency to be overly judgmental or competitive. In Brussels, I saw firsthand how much more productive and creative we can be when we focus on building supportive, non-judgmental relationships.
Moments from Ani Asatryan's East-West Residency
You’ve worked on a range of thought-provoking projects, from a conceptual absurdist book to a graphic novel. With your experience spanning different genres and media, how do you determine when an idea is worth pursuing?
When I was younger, I often felt like I was receiving my ideas from somewhere else. The ancient Greeks would attribute this to the Muses—the goddesses of inspiration in literature, science, and the arts. However, as my creative journey has evolved, I’ve moved away from the idea of being a passive receiver of inspiration, whether from muses or external events. I’m no longer interested in creating art where the artist is submissively waiting for ideas to arrive. Instead, I focus on exploring ideas that arise internally, that grow and develop within me over time.
An idea is worth pursuing when it lingers in my mind and begins to take shape organically, almost as if it’s demanding to be realized. I often start with something abstract—a feeling, an image, or a thought fragment. If it evolves and pulls me deeper into its world, I know it’s something worth exploring further.
I also don’t restrict myself to a specific medium. I allow the idea to guide me to its natural form. If it has an absurd, surreal quality, I might channel it into conceptual writing, like my absurdist book. The important part is to follow the energy of the idea. If it challenges me, provokes deeper questions, and engages my curiosity, that’s how I know it’s worth pursuing. It’s also crucial to have the patience to recognize when an idea isn’t ready, allowing it to simmer until the time is right.
Reflecting on your time as the East-West Resident, what do you consider the most valuable takeaway from the experience?
Reflecting on my time as an East-West Resident, the most valuable takeaway has been a profound reconnection with myself. The experience at Villa Empain provided a unique space for introspection and self-discovery. Immersed in a new environment and surrounded by a diverse community, I was able to explore my creative process and identity in ways that deepened my understanding of both. This period of reflection and growth allowed me to reconnect with my core motivations and artistic vision, which has been both grounding and inspiring for my future work.