Sarkis Vahagn

SARKIS VAHAGN

Sarkis Vahagn (Sarkis Gabriel Patapoutian), a writer, transator, and editor, was born on 7 october, 1927 in Beirut. He received his primary education at the Sahagian and Apkarian School and then continued his studies at the French Lyceum in Beirut. In 1945, he completed his studies in commerce and accounting. From an early age, he showed talent in literature and wrote poems. In the 1950s, he joined several literary and cultural circles. He was involved in the establishment and future activities of the “Literary Circle.” Since 1954, his works have been featured in literary magazines such as “Mshakouyt,” “Lusaber,” “Nor Gir,” “Ani,” “Shirak,” “Garun,” “Navasard,” “Kamar,” and “Aragast.” For nearly a decade before his relocation to the USA in 1946, he was a correspondent for “Shirak” magazine, was an editorial board member, and managed the foreign literature section. His interests were not only confined to literature but also cinema and theatre. In 1958-1959, he published the “New Cinema” art book, which was unprecedented in the history of the Armenian Diaspora. In 2008, the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II awarded Sarkis Vahagn with the St. Sahak- St. Mesrop order, and in 2017, the RA Minister of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobyan, handed out the William Saroyan Medal. Sarkis Vahagn is married to Haigouhi Adjemian and has three children: Ara, Houry (presently Jerejian), and Ardem (scientist, Nobel Prize Laureate), and three grandchildren: Talia, Tessa, and Luca. Sarkis Vahagn has lived in Los Angeles since 1986. 

Publications: 

  1. “Rings” (Stories). The Haikashen Uzunyan Literary Award, Beirut, 1969. 2. “Roots” (Stories), Yerevan, 1981. 3. “Sorrow of Nairi” (a theatrical play). The Alex Manoogian Literary Award, Beirut, 1982. 4. “Ashot Voghormats.” Los Angeles, 1991. 5. “Panic.” Los Angeles, 2000. 6. “Arshile Gorky.” The Literary Prize of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of Armenia and the Haikashen Uzunyan Award, Los Angeles, 2004. 7. “Constellation.” Literary Reviews, Los Angeles, 2008. 8. “Nothing Around.” The French versions of Shahan Shahnour’s (Armen Lubin) poems translated from Armenian, 2010. 9. “Blooming Short Stories in Western Armenian.” The Tekeyan Cultural Association, 2017. 10. “Sweet Hadjin.” The book is dedicated to the author’s grandmother, three young aunts, and the six thousand martyrs of the heroic town of Hadjin, 2017. 11. “I’m with Myself.” Los Angeles, 2019