RA NAS Art Institute (Yerevan) and the William Saroyan Foundation (San Francisco) held an international scientific conference "William Saroyan and Art" in a mixed format on November 17-18, 2023, dedicated to the 115th anniversary of the outstanding writer's birth.
35 speakers took part in this unprecedented conference in Saroyan studies, which revealed the relationship between Saroyan and art: researchers of the Institutes of Art, History, and Literature of the RA NAS, representatives of universities, distinguished figures of art, culture, literature, internationally renowned leading scientists and young researchers from Armenia, the USA from Russia, Great Britain, Iceland and Serbia. The opening of the conference was attended by Daniel Danielyan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Armenia, who, welcoming the organizers and participants, noted in his speech. "I attach great importance to the holding of the conference, in the framework of which various manifestations of Saroyan art will be put on a scientific basis." At the end of his speech, Danielyan read an excerpt from Saroyan's story "The Armenian and the Armenian", reaffirming the unbreakable spirit of the Armenian and the vitality of the Saroyan line even today.
Anna Asatryan, the director of RA NAS Art Institute, mentioned in her speech that the conference "William Saroyan and Art" will reveal Saroyan, who has various talents. "Perhaps, at first glance, the title of the conference, "William Saroyan and art", will cause confusion and surprise. Isn't William Saroyan, as we all know, an outstanding writer?" She emphasized that Saroyan's works stimulated the development of Armenian art. "Among other things, Saroyan's plays were staged in the theaters of Armenia and the Diaspora and played a major role in the creative destiny of Armenian directors and actors."
Yuri Suvaryan, Academician-Secretary of the Department of Armenian Studies and Social Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, made a speech of welcome. "This conference is dedicated to the interdisciplinary issue of literature and art. The conference is an opportunity to appreciate Saroyan's literary heritage once again and to consider it from the point of view of art," said the academician.
William Saroyan Foundation President Scott Setrakian joined the conference remotely from San Francisco, warmly welcoming the participants. "I was thinking how Saroyan would react to this meeting, which is being held in Armenia 115 years after his birth, and in which leading scientists are speaking. I think he would say. "This is the funniest thing I've ever seen." But I know he would be very pleased. Saroyan was very attentive to his heritage. We should all be proud to be a part of this conference," said Scott Setrakian. Setrakian's report "William Saroyan, an artist" was dedicated to Saroyan's fine art.
Anna Asatryan, Doctor of Arts, Professor, Honored Art Worker of the RA, Director of the Art Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the RA, presented the report "Martin Vardazaryan's music written for William Saroyan's play "The Beautiful People" by Sos Sargsyan at the Hamazkayin Theater.
Doctor of Musicology, Professor of Kaufman Music Center Nune Melikyan from New York presented her report titled "William Saroyan and Arno Babajanyan. American and Soviet legends."