Silva Kaputikyan
Encyclopedia
Sirvard Barunaki "Silva" Kaputikyan (20 January 1919, Yerevan
, Democratic Republic of Armenia
, Soviet Union
– 25 August 2006, Yerevan
, Armenia
) was a 20th century prominent Armenian
poet, writer, academian and public activist.
Born to parents that were originally from Van
, she lived in Yerevan
, the Armenian capital, her entire life, and died there of a stroke, aged 87. Her works were translated by Bulat Okudjava, Yevgeny Yevtushenko
, Bella Akhmadulina, Desanka Maksimović
and others.
She was awarded the "Renowned Master of Arts" Armenian SSR
(1970) and "Renowned Worker of Arts" Georgian SSR (1980) official titles, State prizes of USSR (1952) and Armenian SSR
(1988), "Nosside" Italian
prize, orders of St. Mesrop Mashtots (Armenia
) and "Knyaginia Olga" (Ukraine
). She was a member of International PEN
.
In February 1988, during a reception in the Kremlin
, Mikhail Gorbachev
said that he and his wife, Raisa, greatly admired Kaputikyan's poetry.
Kaputikyan appeared as herself in the 1992 documentary, Parajanov: The Last Spring, about Sergei Parajanov, a film-maker of Armenian descent who was persecuted by the Soviet authorities.
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, Democratic Republic of Armenia
Democratic Republic of Armenia
The Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian state...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
– 25 August 2006, Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
) was a 20th century prominent Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
poet, writer, academian and public activist.
Born to parents that were originally from Van
Van, Turkey
Van is a city in southeastern Turkey and the seat of the Kurdish-majority Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's official population in 2010 was 367,419, but many estimates put this as much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500,000 and former Mayor Burhan...
, she lived in Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, the Armenian capital, her entire life, and died there of a stroke, aged 87. Her works were translated by Bulat Okudjava, Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevtushenko is a Soviet and Russian poet. He is also a novelist, essayist, dramatist, screenwriter, actor, editor, and a director of several films.-Early life:...
, Bella Akhmadulina, Desanka Maksimović
Desanka Maksimovic
Desanka Maksimović was a Serbian poet, professor of literature, and a member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.-Biography:...
and others.
She was awarded the "Renowned Master of Arts" Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
(1970) and "Renowned Worker of Arts" Georgian SSR (1980) official titles, State prizes of USSR (1952) and Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
(1988), "Nosside" Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
prize, orders of St. Mesrop Mashtots (Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
) and "Knyaginia Olga" (Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). She was a member of International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
.
In February 1988, during a reception in the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
, Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
said that he and his wife, Raisa, greatly admired Kaputikyan's poetry.
Kaputikyan appeared as herself in the 1992 documentary, Parajanov: The Last Spring, about Sergei Parajanov, a film-maker of Armenian descent who was persecuted by the Soviet authorities.
Selected works
- With the days (1945)
- My intimates (1953)
- Candid conversation (1955)
- Bon Voyage (1957)
- Midway Reflections (1961)
- Seven Stations (1966)
- My Page (1968)
- Toward the Mountain's Depths (1972)
- Lilith (1981)
- Winter is coming (1983)