Armenian writer Hrant Matevosyan would celebrate 78th bithday today

Today marks the birthday of the prominent Armenian fiction writer, Hrant Matevosyan, one of the brilliant figures of modern Armenian literature whose works have served as scenarios for many Soviet Armenian films.

The great author would now mark his 78th birthday if alive.

The anniversary will be celebrated at Yerevan’s Komitas Pantheon later on Tuesday.

Hrant Matevosyan was born in the Aghnidzor village (Lori region) in 1935. A graduate of the Armenian State Teacher Training Institute (now called a unniversity), he was later trained on script writing in Moscow. Matevosyan was the president of the Writers’ Union of Armenia from 1996 until 2001.

His first work, Ahnidzor (1961), was an essay addressing the key problems of life. Matevosyan’s first collection, August, was published in 1967. The author’s literary pieces often reflected his bright recollections of childhood, revealing truths of life. In his first, as well as second collections (Trees, 1978), Matevosyan remained true to the traditional trend of the Armenian literature to present the village style, but he did that in a new style and manner. Matevosyan was also a great patriot who considered his homeland not just the cradle of permanent moral values but also a place fostering connections between the generations and promoting a better understanding of the concept.

Matevosyan’s literary heritage is also rich in the descroiption of the wonderful images of children stepping into adolescence. In his story, Our Race, the author remains true to his principles of valuing the merits of life and creating the beautiful through his work.

The Armenian film studio Hayfilm has used many of his stories for producing movies (We and our Mountains, 1969; August, 1976; Autumn Sun, 1977 etc). Matevosyan’s literary pieces have been translated into around 40 languages. One of his collections, Your Family, has been awarded with the USSR state prize.

In 1996, Matevosyan was honored with the St. Mesrop Mashtots order.

The writer died on December 18, 2002 in Yerevan.

Source: Armenian Encyclopedia