During 1993-99 I reported frequently from Armenia and Karabagh exploring the legacy of the soviet era, nascent independence, war, blockade, and elections. There was immense hardship, but there was solidarity and hope. In 2022, I returned to a nation in defeat after a disastrous war in 2020. Armenia is struggling with a political and an existential crisis, made worse by the fall of Karabagh and the exodus of its population in 2023 after many centuries of settlement. I wanted to see for myself the impact of this difficult period on society and to evoke the psyche of the times, much as I had done in the past. I decided to continue using b/w film and to weave the photographs from the 1990s with those that I am currently doing, to better reflect on Armenia’s long road to a secure independence if such is possible.
October 26, 2024
