“Armenian short tales" aims to be an engaging collection of brief life episodes that share a common background: places, lifestyles, and traditions of a land with endless tales to tell:. The stories are so short that they can be conveyed in a single snapshot, yet they are meant to be expanded or perhaps interpreted by the viewer's imagination. Each photo, therefore, stands alone as its own story. The actors, locations, and settings are diverse. Photography purists might find the chromatic aspect inconsistent. Some might not appreciate the mix of color with black and white. However, I sought a consistent approach: the stories must reference that common background I mentioned. Thus, you see stylized representations of typical Soviet-era colorful trucks, ecclesiastical scenes, headscarves, excellent Armenian coffee, and other more or less typical elements for the keen observer to spot. Armenia, therefore, is always there, an omnipresent backdrop for those who wish to see it.

 

Some stories lightly touch on distinct communities living within Armenian territory, like the Molokans or the Yazidis. These are peoples within a people in a nation where ethnic or religious differences have left a deep scar and continue to be a source of tension. This is not an in-depth analysis of the coexistence among groups, and the lightness of short stories remains evident. Yet, even so, it remains a small testament to how different ethnicities coexist in a territory that has long seen hate prevail over acceptance.

 

Ultimately, Armenia struck me as wonderful in its simplicity and its connection to traditions. Situated in the Caucasus, a land between Europe and Asia, it sometimes shows the influences of both cultures, while at the same time proudly maintaining its own identity, with a unique faith and its own alphabet. The people, sweet like their apricots despite their tough appearances, have had to turn necessity into virtue. They are a people with surely endless stories to tell. I, in my small way, am pleased to share a few of them.