Lada, because I’m worth it…
In November 2020, Armenia is emerging from the 44-day war with Azerbaijan. The atmosphere could not be better. As photographers of Armenian origin, it seemed obvious to us that my father, my son and I should go to Armenia to bring back images of the situation and the heritage threatened by the consequences of the war. When you set off on a mission like that, you have to keep an eye on things. We couldn’t ignore the fact that in Armenia, whatever the circumstances, Lada cars, relics of the Soviet era, are always part of the picture.
In fact, we were never alone as we travelled the length and breadth of the roads: very often, we happily overtook the old Lada cars that tirelessly criss-cross the roads and ‘lesser roads’ of the whole of Armenia. On the rutted dirt tracks, on the other hand, it was the Lada, a real quiet force, that laughed as they passed us…
From the Jigouli, the basic model, to the Lada Niva, this little 4×4 adventurer, puncture-proof, muddy in winter, dusty in the middle of summer, we still come across them in all colours. They bravely tackle the steepest slopes, the least passable roads and slip modestly between the beautiful Mercedes or the SUVs of the new post-Soviet rich. Some are gleaming, lovingly pampered by their collector owners, while others go about their work like an old plough horse, unruffled and unassuming, carrying bundles, crates and tools.
Like the old American cars in Cuba, the Lada’s make up the Armenian landscape. An unmissable ornament of the deserted expanses, they are all the same and all different, with an unbeatable vintage charm.
They visit the snow-covered monasteries, waiting patiently on the forecourt for the drivers to light a few candles in accordance with tradition.
You can see them speeding through the magnificent landscapes of the high mountain plateau, free and unencumbered by speed limits. In summer and winter alike, braving fog, snow, ice and heat, they transport smiling Armenians, cigarettes in hand, crammed into cramped cabins with rudimentary comforts, and crushed under tons of parcels more or less securely lashed to the roofs of these little tinkered cars with bodywork chipped by years of loyal service.
They take part in all the events in the lives of the inhabitants: they are at every wedding and funeral. In 2023, they courageously enabled many Armenian families to make the final journey out of Artsakh, which had been emptied of its inhabitants during the ethnic cleansing orchestrated by Azerbaijan.
These are the faithful companions of a bygone era whom I wanted to portray here: because they are well worth it!
Lydia Kasparian
