March 30, 2023 | by Creative Armenia

Suren Tadevosyan, 2022 Creative Armenia-AGBU Fellow

When Suren Tadevosyan walks past the familiar doorway on Abovyan Avenue, he sees an angry and tormented man screaming at him. When he looks up at the buildings of Northern Avenue, a man and woman twirl around in a dance. For visual artists, the people of a city leave permanent traces of themselves everywhere, and

It is just as interesting to look at Suren Tadevosyan’s work, as it is to peek behind the scenes. Like his art, his creative process is layered and complex, every artwork emerging out of countless sketches, failed experiments, and abandoned curiosities. Read the interview with our 2022 Creative Armenia-AGBU Fellow and get inspired by his creative explorations, upcoming projects, and insightful discoveries.

"I find myself constantly inspired by the era we live in. Our century is full of monumental events that ignite our creativity and make history."

Tell us a little about how you began your journey of becoming a visual artist and cinematographer.

Visual arts have always been a deep passion of mine. In 1998, I decided to explore my skills in video production. From shooting music videos to working on TV, I was eager to immerse myself in the world of moving images. One day, Artsyom Melkumyan, a renowned Armenian cinematographer, offered to work as his assistant on one of his film projects. The experience was truly life-changing. The world of cinema completely consumed me and became an integral part of my life.

Tell us about your creative inspirations – whether those are people, things, or phenomena – and what you have learned from them.

I find myself constantly inspired by the era we live in. Our century is full of monumental events that ignite our creativity and make history. It's an incredibly exciting time to be alive, create, and innovate.

Many of your creative projects, including Biographia or X-Ray Yerevan, focus on looking beyond the surface – be it a person or a city – and present familiar subjects from unexpected perspectives. What attracts you to the subject matter? How do you know which ideas are worth following?

For me, deciding which ideas are worth following is an intuitive process. Some ideas just stick with me. As I work on them, they start to take shape and eventually become a reality. It’s satisfying to watch ideas grow and develop into something meaningful.

For the subject matter to attract me, I need to feel an emotional connection to it. Be it a human or an object, there should be a theme connecting us.