Аствацатуров Норик
Astvatsaturov Norik Y.
Аствацатуров Норик
Norik and His Artwork
"A good artist is one who can carry all of the tools he needs in his pocket."
Norik Y. Astvatsaturov was born in Baku, Azerbaijan on December 22, 1947. He and his family were among thousands of refugees who fled Azerbaijan in the late 1980s due to the ethnic, religious and territorial conflict of Azerbaijan with the neighboring Republic of Armenia. The family settled in North Dakota in February of 1992 where Norik continues to make his beautiful pieces of art. For Norik, the interweaving of his Christian faith and Armenian culture gives him his identity. This identity is exhibited in his folk art of metal bas-relief work.
Azerbaijan, was a predominantly Muslim country, while Baku, its capital, had a large Christian community that included, Russians, Greeks and Armenians. While growing up in Baku, Norik liked to draw, and then learned to carve in wood and stone, using traditional designs. After completing his military duties, Norik came back to Baku, and was introduced to a traditional metalworking by an old artisan. The old artisan taught Norik ancient techniques that enabled him to work on many kinds of metal, including bronze, copper, aluminum, and even gold.
In early 1970s Norik began working for an art studio making various signs and mosaics. Due to Communist regime Norik could not publicly produce religious pieces. But in private he created commemorative marriage plates, book covers, angels, religious icons, and mosaics for private individuals. His works included large jobs like copper mosaics that covered entire walls or metal dragons that flanked fireplaces.
With tensions rising in the area, Norik, his wife, Irina and their two children, Anna and Mikhail, left Baku as Armenian refugees in September of 1989. For the next two years, while Armenia was in war with Azerbaijan, they lived in harsh conditions in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. Wishing to come to United States, Norik and his family applied for a refugee status in an American embassy in Moscow. Norik and his family were able to flee Soviet Union leaving most of their belongings behind. Norik, however, was able to bring with him in his pocket the tools of his art. The only tools Norik uses in his work are a hammer, punch, and various nail-like tools.
"Each piece of art requires hours of work. First a design is drawn on paper and is attached to the metal." Faces of Identity, Hands of Skill: Folk Arts in North Dakota by Troyd A. Geist. For the initial drawings, Norik designs original pieces alone, or together with his wife Irina Astvatsaturova, who is also a trained artist, architect and an art teacher. He also adopts traditional Armenian scenes and designs and develops them with Irina to make them work on metal.
"An etching tool is used to define the outline. Another nail-like punch gives the piece proportionate volume. Norik constantly flips the metal from one side to the other while doing his work. Both sides of the metal sheet are worked to push the metal forward or back to create the appropriate depth and perspective in the image being made. Through years of experience, Norik has developed a keen understanding of metallurgic properties, such as that of elasticity. When the piece is completely formed, Norik applies his secret chemical solution to the metal. The acidic chemical discolors the metal creating a shadowing effect. The last step is polishing the metal with sand and water." Faces of Identity, Hands of Skill: Folk Arts in North Dakota by Troyd A. Geist. (You can learn more about this publication on:
www.state.nd.us/arts/publications_recordings/publications/faces.htm)
Now as an American citizen and thankful to the freedoms he and his family are afforded in United States, Norik makes pieces reflecting Armenian culture religion and history, something he could not do in Azerbaijan. In addition to religious themes, some of his works reveal scenes from Armenian folk stories and legends.
Recently, the North Dakota Council on the Arts awarded Norik one of two Individual Artist Fellowships. Norik spent his summer exhibiting his work around the state. Currently he plans on expanding his exhibits to other states. In addition, Norik was featured in Hairenik, the Armenian Weekly Newspaper in an article titled Armenian Art Survives Dakota Winter.
